


2,000 Miles to Devil's Pass

by bardocksheadband



Category: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Western, Angst, Bandits & Outlaws, Country & Western, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friendship, Romance, Sexual Content, Sibling Bonding, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Smut, Western
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:29:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 161,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28537395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bardocksheadband/pseuds/bardocksheadband
Summary: Western/Human AU. Chi-Chi's stagecoach is ambushed by the outlaws known as the Saiyans. Instead of dying on the trail, Kakarot decides to take her with them on a journey to Devil's Pass, a prison in which his father is being held. Chi-Chi has to learn how to survive not only in the company of Saiyans, but the unlawful and cruel ways of the west. It doesn't help much that the fastest gun in the gang is both awfully sweet and sinfully attractive. (Slow burn) K/CC, V/B, and more.
Relationships: Android 18/Krillin (Dragon Ball), Bulma Briefs/Vegeta, Chi-Chi/Son Goku (Dragon Ball), Launch/Raditz (Dragon Ball)
Comments: 299
Kudos: 240





	1. This Kind of Sinful Living

**Author's Note:**

> After reading the amazing story Wanted by rogue_1102, I was heavily inspired to finally share my Western publicly. There are very few out there in the DB world and I hope someone out there enjoys this!

"What's the name of the town again, Daddy?"

"Sunnybellow. Rolls right off the tongue, doesn't it?"

Chi-Chi sighed heavenly as her father was right about that. All the dust she was inhaling didn't even bother her like it should have. They were leaving behind their estate in the north and headed towards the west. He had just purchased a mighty large piece of land and she was going to live out her dreams of being a teacher while her father was going to be the overseer of prospectors.

"It sure does."

All their belongings were stashed away in the back of the stagecoach while the two rode in the front. Their horses were running at an even pace now, and they would be there in six months or less. Chi-Chi stuck her hand out on the side and loved the way the heat of the wind felt.

"You know sweetheart," Ox glanced over at his daughter and raised a thick eyebrow over his glasses. "With our growing fortune, you don't need to be an educator. You could raise some little rascals instead of teaching them."

Chi-Chi shook her head. Her dad had never understood the choices she made. "Daddy, I've got more of myself to offer than that."

"I know, I know. But-"

The firing of a gun had interrupted them. Chi-Chi screamed as the horses stood up on their hind legs and were attempting to run in opposite directions after being spooked. There was the sound of cruel laughter and more gunshots being fired. Whoever it was, was right on their tail.

"Yah! Yah! Easy now!" Ox expertly controlled them with the ropes and the stagecoach had come to a complete stop. Chi-Chi grabbed tightly onto her father's arm to stop him from exiting.

"Daddy, no! Let's just keep going!" Chi-Chi had heard horror stories of families being robbed by bandits during travels but wasn't expecting it to actually happen to them. Her nails under her gloves dug deeper as he attempted to move again. She could hear the hooves of other horses coming to a stop now. "Daddy! Please!"

But Ox was the one she inherited her stubbornness from. He gently moved her arm away and talked to her in a hushed voice. "It's alright, Chi-Chi. The best thing to do in this situation is to stay calm. They probably just want some money and will move on."

"But Daddy-"

"Shh. Go hide in the boot," he pleaded with his eyes as the men's laughter had become louder now that they were too close for comfort. "Money is replaceable. You're not."

By now, there was no chance of running away. Chi-Chi hesitated to let go of her dad but did what she was told. She slipped into the back and hid in the luggage carrier of the stagecoach. Underneath all the suitcases, she held in her breath as she listened to her father and the bandits speaking to one another.

"Hello, gentlemen," Ox's voice was calm. A good sign for Chi-Chi. Maybe they had been mistaken for someone else and would be told to go on their way. "Is there something I can help you with?"

There were mockery and dark chuckles escaping the lips of the men at the mention of the word 'help'. Chi-Chi could hear her heart beating in her ears. "We'll be taking that wagon of yours," the meanest voice Chi-Chi had ever heard was coming from one of the robbers. "And whatever else you have."

Ox was silent for a good while before he selected his next words carefully. Chi-Chi wished she could get a better look at what was happening but found herself too terrified to move. "I'm sorry, I cannot accommodate that. I'll give you all my money and possessions, but I need this here stagecoach for my travels."

"He wasn't asking!" another voice barked back and it made Chi-Chi flinch. "When the Saiyans want something, they get it!"

_...The Saiyans?_

"Since you're out here in the middle of nowhere all by your lonesome, I'll be nice and let you keep one of your horses," the first voice from before spoke again. He had such authority to it that he must be the leader. "I'll give you until the count of three."

Chi-Chi waited for her father's response that never came. Without even counting, the smell of gunpowder and lead filled her nostrils and shook up the stagecoach. She held on tight to a case as the wagon moved. There was only one noise left until the shots had ended.

"Chi-...Chi..."

"DADDY!?"

The backdoor of the stagecoach had opened at the same time she sat up straight. A figure was blocking the hot sun from hitting her face. Frozen from her fear, all she could do was stare at him. He had a scarf covering his eyes downward and had the most unusual black spikes poking out from underneath his hat.

"Anything interesting in there, Kakarot?"

* * *

Now Kakarot had seen plenty of strange things when robbing stagecoaches, but nothing like this before. A woman with the blackest hair he had ever seen was in the boot, covered with suitcases. He wasn't sure if her skin was pale by nature or if she was just terrified. She placed a hand over the chest of her pink dress as she blinked her long eyelashes at him.

"KAKAROT!" his brother snapped once again. "I asked you a question! Anything interesting!?"

A mighty precious find indeed.

Kakarot swallowed hard, realizing at that moment just how badly he needed water. "Yeah," he eyed the woman up and down. "The poor guy had a passenger."

The woman had been silent up until Raditz joined his side. When he opened his mouth to whistle at her, her fist jutted out and she punched him straight in the groin. She pushed herself out of the boot and jumped out. Kakarot's eyes widened as his brother fell down to his knees, screaming out.

"GO GET THAT BITCH!" he ordered and winced as the pain came throbbing back. Kakarot had to admit it was a little funny, but if he laughed now his brother would scalp him. When he had turned in the direction she took off in, he saw a sight that made his heart drop.

The woman had dropped down beside the man Vegeta had just shot. She was holding onto him tightly, ruining her dress with his blood. She kept saying 'daddy' over and over again as she cried, causing Kakarot to look at his leader with slight disgust. He never disrespected him, but this murder was completely unnecessary.

"Did you have to shoot him, Vegeta? He didn't even have a gun to fight back with."

Vegeta ignored the young outlaw and held up his gun to the woman's head. She was so devastated that she didn't even react to the barrel rubbing up against her. "Stop all that noise. I'm sending you with him."

"NO!" Kakarot shouted, and Vegeta looked away from his victim to his unusually defiant comrade. "Can't we just leave her alone!?"

The boy was truly an idiot at times. Vegeta snarled as Nappa and Raditz were now observing the two. "Why do you care so much? She's a witness and a liability. Just look at her," he spit directly next to her in disgust. "I'm doing her a favor."

Now out of her trance, the woman had looked up from her dead father's body into Kakarot's eyes. Her face was so full of sadness that it was unsettling. Even if they left her here, she was all by herself and would most likely die anyway. "Let's take her with us."

"WHAT!?" the rest of the Saiyans said at once, and then Raditz came over to punch his shoulder harshly.

"If you want to fuck her, just say that. Stop being a half-wit."

Kakarot punched his brother back to speaking so vulgarly. He always hated when he spoke that way, especially when it wasn't true. "It's not like that! I couldn't forgive myself if we left her here," he brought his attention back to Vegeta, who still had his gun pointed at the woman. The leader of the Saiyans looked mad enough to swallow a horned toad backward. "You know they don't call me the fastest gun in the west for no reason. She comes with us, or I'll..."

"You'll _what_?"

Kakarot gulped. Vegeta's tone was gravelly like the thunderstorms during summertime. Looking at the bloody mess on the ground gave him a bit of courage. He stood up straight and placed a hand on his holster. "You know what."

There was tension in wide-open plains. Nappa and Raditz had stepped back, knowing that whatever happened had to be settled between those two and those two only. Vegeta looked unfazed, but he was well aware of how great of a shot Kakarot was. It was the entire reason why he had wanted him in the gang. Kakarot could send a bullet through your heart in a blink of an eye.

He was just too fucking nice of a guy.

Was it worth risking his life?

Before Vegeta could decide what his next move was going to be, the woman under his gun had punched him harshly in the gut. Instead of going down as Raditz had, he hit her so badly that she passed out in the pool of her father's blood.

* * *

"...so about 2,000 miles to Devil's Pass. We'll be there in half a year, I reckon."

"That's too long. He might be hanged by then."

"There's no other way."

Chi-Chi could hear men talking as she began to wake up. Her eyes popped open fully when she realized that she was moving. The masked man from earlier, now revealing his face to her, was staring back at her. She was in the back of the stagecoach with him. Her gaze went from him to the back of the flamed hair bastard that shot her dad. He had the nerve to be driving her daddy's wagon.

"You son of a bitch!" she growled and got up to move towards his neck to strangle it, but found herself on the floor in an instant. Her legs and arms had been bound by ropes. She wriggled around to try and set herself free, but whoever did this did a hell of a job, She wasn't going anywhere. Once she had managed to get on her back, she looked up at the one known as Kakarot. From what she remembered before she was knocked out, he was a little kinder than the others. She wasn't proud of it, but she knew how to work a man when it was a matter of life or death. She batted her eyes and pouted her lips. "Would you mind loosening a girl up a bit? It's awfully tight."

Kakarot had opened his mouth to speak, but the one known as Vegeta cut him off. "Don't even think about it."

The messy-haired outlaw looked at the back of his leader and then at Chi-Chi with a smile. "Sorry, darling. I'm already pushing my luck with him for having you come with us."

_Come with us?_

Shit. She forgot she was moving.

"Where the hell are you taking me!? And... and..." she struggled to say it. "What did you do with my dad's body!?"

She could tell Kakarot was having a hard time coming up with what to say, and he ignored the second part of her question. "We're going to get my old man out of the hoosegow."

"WATCH YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!" Vegeta snapped, now looking over his shoulder. If looks could kill, Kakarot would be a dead man. "I swear you're as dull as a dishwasher. Don't tell that bitch anything."

"I'm not a bitch, you hellion!"

"Shut her up already!"

Kakarot chuckled as if the cruel words didn't mean a thing to him. He lifted Chi-Chi up as if she weighed nothing and placed her next to him. "He don't mean anything by it," the cowboy whispered and held up a glass bottle full of clear liquid. "Would you like some water?"

She had gotten cotton-mouthed during the time she was knocked out. She hadn't realized that the sun was already setting. How long had been sleeping? Remembering her hands were tied up, she opened her mouth wide but continued to give Kakarot a dirty look. He held the bottle into her mouth and removed it once enough of the liquid had disappeared. After she swallowed, she noticed that he hadn't stopped staring at her.

Why did he want to take her so badly? Was he planning on...

Feeling a little uncomfortable around him now, she used all she had to scoot away from him. But he only continued to scoot closer until she couldn't move anymore.

"What the hell is your problem!? Why did you take me!?"

Kakarot looked over to make sure his boss wasn't listening, and then he got close to her ear. "Vegeta's a bit of a hothead and you didn't deserve what happened to you. I didn't want you to die."

"I'd rather have died out there than be with a bunch of murderers!"

Her words seemed to sting him because he inched away. After a minute or so of looking down at his boots, he gave her his attention once more. His voice was even quieter this time. "You were in the middle of nowhere. I'll let you go once we get to a city. If that's what you really want."

Chi-Chi studied his face to see if he was telling the truth. He had some sweetness to him. He was a little ragged and dirty, but his smile was genuine.

Dare she say he was also easy on the eyes?

"Do you have a name?"

She didn't realize she had been so quiet. "Chi-Chi," she wasn't even sure why she told him. "You're Kakarot, I'm guessing?"

"The one and only, at your service!"

The stagecoach had come to an abrupt stop. It flew Chi-Chi forward so she was in Kakarot's lap now, unable to move herself off. The back door had opened to reveal a large bald man and a long-haired man, the complete opposite of one another but ruthless looking nonetheless.

The long-haired one, Raditz, whistled lowly and wriggled his eyebrows. "You got my little brother grinnin' like a baked possum. Looks like she warmed up quick."

While the bald one laughed, Kakarot's gently pushed her off of him and shook his head. "Now Raditz, don't make Chi-Chi feel uncomfortable. Is this where we're setting up camp for the night?"

Nappa reached a hand forward and snatched up Chi-Chi's orange case that contained her books. It wasn't until then that she noticed another one of her suitcases containing her clothes had been opened and left that way. The pink dress she wore when she started the journey with her father was on the floor, bloodied and ruined. On her body now was a purple dress, covering up all the right places.

Had... had Kakarot dressed her?

"We'll use this shit for firewood!" Nappa left as he emptied out all of Chi-Chi's books. She had forgotten about a strange man seeing her naked without her knowledge once she saw the bald man mistreating some of her most precious items.

"NO! GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF THOSE!"

Ignoring her, Nappa walked away with a handful. Vegeta had made his way from the front and raised an eyebrow at the hysterical woman. "Why in the hell are you so concerned? Women are illiterate."

"THIS WOMAN ISN'T!" she shot back. She threw her body towards the leader and ended up throwing all of herself out of the stagecoach. She was bound up on the ground now, with three of the men laughing at her. She could see the boots of Nappa making a pile on the ground. "Those are for my classroom! Stop!"

"Classroom?" Kakarot had emerged and was helping her to her feet since nobody else was doing it. He looked at her with a bit of awe in his voice. "Like a teacher?"

"A woman can't be a teacher," Vegeta spat. "Good for nothing but a quick fuck and raising children. If you're lucky, you'll get one that can cook as well."

"That's not true!" Chi-Chi was now able to look at the leader of the outlaws, never feeling hatred for anyone until this moment. "Open your eyes, you nimrod! Women are-" she was hushed by the stinging of his hand colliding into her cheek. The harsh slap left her quiet and helpless as he ordered Nappa to set the books on fire. She could fill her eyes beginning to water, and Kakarot was noticing. He looked at his brother for help as the woman leaned her body weight against him.

"You need to talk to him! Calm him down!"

Raditz shrugged. "You did this to yourself, little brother. You're the one that wanted her," he looked at Chi-Chi and lifted her chin up a finger. "Hey, don't look so sad. Those books are no good. Kakarot can't read."

"Why'd you have to go and tell her that!?" Kakarot whined. Chi-Chi's eyes drifted to his face and was surprised to see him red from embarrassment. His brother just laughed.

"Yup, ol' Kakarot here don't have nothing under his hat except hair."

Kakarot wanted to say or do something, but Raditz had walked away to start making food and his hands were too busy supporting Chi-Chi. He grumbled something under his breath as he placed her back onto the stagecoach to look through the cases. He was too ashamed to look at her.

"Don't listen to him. I would've helped you read if..."

She was speaking to him, but her voice was weak.

"Thanks," he mumbled and threw a case to the ground. He still wasn't looking at her. "Just stop arguing with them, alright? The quieter you are, the sooner you can get out."

His tone was harsh and unlike the one, she had been used to. He left her alone in the back of the stagecoach. The sun had completely vanished and was replaced by the moon. It was in that moment of complete loneliness that Chi-Chi thought about her father. She fell onto her side and cried, knowing that at this moment she didn't need to be strong.

She needed her daddy and her books, and she just lost both.

* * *

Defeated and exhausted, all Chi-Chi could do was stare blankly at the fire the pages of her books had fueled. In a new purple dress, she hadn't planned on wearing until she was in the classroom, she never felt so lonely. So angry. So broken. The Saiyans must have known how beaten she was because they had long removed her ropes.

They knew she wasn't going anywhere.

Not right now. Not in the middle of Hell.

A bowl of mashed beans was placed in front of her. Chi-Chi looked at the hand and her gaze followed up the toned arm until she was at the smiling face. He had finally gotten over his embarrassment.

"Here. Eat something. It's good for you."

There was a bit of something left inside of her. She snatched the bowl and flung the belongings of it at the one known as Kakarot. He used his long sleeve to wipe the beans off his face and now his smile had vanished.

"Is moonshine more to your liking?"

"Go away."

Kakarot blew upward so the few pieces of bangs that he had moved off his forehead. She was a tough nut to crack. He sat down on the opposite side of her and began drinking from his canteen. "I don't drink often," he chuckled between sips. "Today's just been one heck of a day."

A heck of a day? For who? Surely he wasn't talking about himself or the damn Saiyans!?

"I hope you know your soul is damned. This kind of sinful living only leads to a fall."

Like the fire separating the two of them, Kakarot's eyes flickered up to her. He didn't like the way she was looking at him. He took another swig from his canteen before finally replying. "You come from money, don't you?"

Chi-Chi held her knees tighter to her chest at the change in his voice. It wasn't gentle anymore. She decided to add some sting to her voice. "I did. You dirty scoundrels took everything I had."

Kakarot nodded his head and looked down at his canteen. As bad as he felt for her now, all her life up to this point had been pampered and primped with no real worries. "Well I'm sorry about that darling I really am," he took a drink but instead of swallowing, he spit it out. He was avoiding eye contact with her, choosing to stare at the mark he had left in the dirt. "Sometimes you have to do sinful things to stay alive. Doesn't mean I enjoy it."

He stood up to leave her with his words but stopped when he could hear her huffing and puffing as she scrambled to get up without tripping on her dress.

"Wait just a minute, you mule!" she was jabbing her gloved finger into his back. She hadn't realized until this moment just how tall he was. "You can't just leave me here all by myself!"

Kakarot turned around unexpectedly and grabbed her hand before it could poke him again. She sure was a bossy little thing. "Ain't nobody gonna hurt you with us nearby. Rest your pretty head, we're riding pretty hard tomorrow."

She wasn't sure why her face was burning up like this. It couldn't have been the closeness, his hand holding hers, or the way he was looking down at her. She hoped the scowl she was wearing was enough to cover it up. "I'm not going to feel comfortable enough to sleep without a gun by my side. I know the horrible things men like you guys do to women!"

Despite her glove, Kakarot could feel her hand getting sweaty. She was scared but had too much pride to show it. "I may not know how to read, but I ain't dumb. The second you have your little hand on a pistol I know you're firin'," he finally released her hand and took a step back so there was more distance between them. He wanted to see her fully. "And for your information, the Saiyans don't do that type of thing to ladies without their permission. Only when they want it."

Her features seemed to relax, but only a little. She was still feeling uneasy. Chi-Chi placed her hands on her hips and stuck her nose up at him. "So you don't violate women, just rob and kill their families huh?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right."

Chi-Chi opened one of her eyes to see Kakarot walking away again. The sound of a wolf howling far off in the distance made a shiver run down her spine. Never in her life had she spent a night all by herself in the wilderness. She couldn't help the tone of her voice as it came out desperate and loud. "Don't go! Please!" As much as it pained her, she needed him to survive out here. "Please...I have nobody left."

Kakarot froze at the sound of her voice cracking.

_Please don't cry..._

When he looked at her, her eyes were glossy and about to release the sadness she had been holding in during the day. She didn't seem like the type of woman to show vulnerability, but here she was. On the verge of tears. Whether she truly was upset he was walking away or it was over the loss of her father, Kakarot didn't know.

All he knew was that it made him feel bad. Real bad.

He removed the hat from his head and ran his free hand through his dirty hair. "I ain't goin' nowhere. Stop looking so sad. I just need to take a leak."

"Oh," the woman sniffed and quickly blinked so her eyes would dry up. She smoothed down her dress and cleared her throat, regaining that toughness. "Get to it then, cowboy."

Kakarot offered her a small smile, but she didn't return it. Instead, she curled up onto the ground in a fetal position with her back turned to him. He shrugged his broad shoulders and pushed his way through dried brush until he was far enough away from her and his sleeping gang. After a few minutes of walking, he came across a large boulder and sat on it.

He didn't really need to relieve himself. There was something she had said to him that made him need some time alone.

_This kind of sinful living leads only to a fall._

He had heard that somewhere before.

His mother had told that to his father the day he left to rob a cattle ranch. A few days later, those same people Bardock robbed from murdered his mom in cold blood. Kakarot had witnessed it all. He couldn't remember every single detail about that night, but he was the only one home with her. He snatched one of his father's big irons from the counter and pulled the trigger before the man could kill him, too.

That was the first person he ever killed, and how he gained the reputation of being the fastest gun in the west.

He glanced up at the stars as he leaned back on the rock, wondering if she was looking down at him. A gust had picked up in the middle of the desert land and he lifted up a hand to keep his hat secure. Calmly caught in the middle of a dust devil, Kakarot swore he could hear a woman's voice.

_This isn't you, Kakarot._

"Ma?"

As quickly as the voice came, it had left. Kakarot shook his head and removed the canteen from his jeans. Figuring he had too much to be hearing things, he poured the rest of the moonshine out. He then followed the smoke rings to lead him back to where his gang and Chi-Chi were. Inside Chi-Chi's stagecoach, Vegeta was resting comfortably while Raditz and Nappa were sprawled out near the horses. Very quietly, Kakarot pulled the blanket off of Vegeta knowing that it wasn't his. There was something else in the back that had caught his eye as he walked around.

There was one book hiding underneath a case of money that wasn't burned.

Chi-Chi could hear footsteps breaking up the mounds of dirt coming towards her. His piss break had gone on longer than it should've, but she was silently glad he had returned. She had come up with a plan while he was away. Once all the Saiyans had fallen asleep, she was going to find the nearest gun she could and kill the short devil who had murdered her father. If the others fought back, she'd shoot them as well. For now, all she had to do was pretend to be asleep and-

Her thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of a thick material being placed on her. It smelled like home. Like her dad.

It was his favorite blanket.

That wasn't all that Kakarot surprised her with. A book had dropped near her face and from where she lay, she could read the dusty spine. It was a copy of _Black Beauty,_ one of the children's books she was planning on sharing with her students.

"I hope these make you feel a little better, darling."

Chi-Chi stared at the book and inhaled her father's scent in silence. She could hear Kakarot adjusting himself as he lowered his body onto the ground beside her. He sighed in relief as he stretched his feet out. He started whistling a tune that was a mixture of sadness and joy. Her eyelids were getting harder to keep open as he was putting her to sleep without realizing it.

"Thank you," she finally muttered in a sleepy voice.

Oh, so she did have some politeness to her! Kakarot grinned and looked down at her as he rested his back against the bush behind him. "Just don't shoot me in my sleep, ma'am. That won't be a fair fight."


	2. Queen of Aces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chi-Chi had been taken by the Saiyans after they killed her father. Now she finds herself caught up in their antics as they head to their favorite saloon run by the Queen of Aces, Vegeta's very special lady for more than one reason. Meanwhile, Kakarot is becoming smitten...

Chi-Chi found herself tied up.

Again.

The Saiyans had left her by the edge of the creek as they bathed themselves, using her own soap. It ached to know her beautifully crafted lavender bars were being used to wipe away all that disgusting musk. She had her eyes closed, but she knew the body parts they were scrubbing were enough to ruin her soap forever. After what seemed like an eternity of hearing them talk about their proud acts of violence over the last few months, Kakarot was by her side untying her. His hands were still wet from his little bath.

"I didn't forget about ya, darling. It's your turn now!"

Chi-Chi opened one eye slowly to make sure he was clothed and was surprised to find he had a completely different outfit compared to yesterday. Black jeans, a black long sleeve, black vest, black boots, black hat... The only thing not black was his silver gun at his hip.

"You headed to a funeral?"

It took Kakarot a second to get what she meant, but then he started laughing. "Of course not, Chi-Chi! You're a riot sometimes, you know that?"

Chi-Chi wasn't smiling back at him. "Those clothes probably aren't even yours. I bet you stole them off some poor dead person right before you attacked us."

She really knew how to hurt him. Kakarot bit his lip from not wanting to scare her away with something much meaner he could shoot back at her. "These are my pop's," was his truthful response. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't disrespect me while I wear them."

_I'd appreciate it if your gang didn't rob my stagecoach, kill my father, take my belongings, kidnap me..._

Chi-Chi took a deep breath. She could push buttons if she wanted to, but Kakarot _was_ really sweet to her last night. She could return the favor. Only slightly. "I'm sorry. You look very nice."

That perked him right up. He smoothed down his vest and then continued to untie the ropes on her legs. It was hard not to notice the tan, toned arms that were doing all the work. Did he really need to roll his sleeves up like that?

"Thank you for thinking so, Chi-Chi. I'm not sure what _you_ felt like wearing, so I brought your case of all those pretty dresses."

Watching the gray case drop down beside her, Chi-Chi remembered a worrisome detail from her adventure last night. She covered her chest self-consciously and sneered. "You're a no-good pervert, Kakarot!"

He pointed at himself like there was another Kakarot nearby. "What!? How?"

"You put this dress on me yesterday after that bastard hit my head!" She was still a little tender-headed, too. The outlaw's face turned bright red as he raised his hands in front of him out of self-defense.

"Ah, you got it all wrong! I-" Chi-Chi was on her feet now, causing him to walk backward as she got closer. She was rolling up her sleeves just like his as if she were about to start a fistfight. He didn't like to admit it but was exciting him a little bit. "You had another white dress underneath that pink one! I didn't see anything! Honest!"

The woman had backed him to a tree and was now searching his expression for any truth. What was up with this cowboy, anyway? Was he truly a good man? "You swear?"

"I put it on my ma's grave," he was being serious. He placed a hand on her shoulder for reassurance. "I didn't see a thing. Are you going to wash yourself up now, or no? We're burnin' daylight!"

"I would like one of my soaps, unused please," she stuck her nose up at him and held her hand out. Kakarot rubbed the back of his neck while looking at her empty hand.

"The gang used up every last bit, ma'am. I'm sorry."

Unbelievable. Chi-Chi had packed enough soap to last the entire journey to Sunnybellow, and these monsters ended up burning through them in one sitting. "How am I suppose to clean up now!?"

"Water?"

Chi-Chi cursed under her breath while Kakarot shrugged his shoulders. He followed closely behind her as she walked back to her clothes.

"What? Water does its job. A flower like you doesn't need much else."

Too mad to be flattered, Chi-Chi pulled out a black dress and a pair of lace underwear had fallen onto the grass along with it. At this point, she didn't even care enough to be embarrassed. She simply picked it up and hid it under the dress she chose. "I don't know how to swim, so I'm not stepping foot in there. I'll need a cloth to wash.

"Or," Kakarot raised an eyebrow as she removed her boots. In doing so, she had become several inches shorter than what he already thought she was. "I could join ya and teach you a thing or two."

When Chi-Chi just stared at him with a blank expression, he shrugged his shoulders and pulled a cloth out of his back pocket.

"It was worth a shot."

Chi-Chi's lip curled up at the material being offered to her. "Is that...is that a _handkerchief_? You intend for me to use something you wipe your mucus with to clean myself?"

Kakarot shook his head in disbelief at the woman. The summer breeze had drifted in, lifting up her dress slightly. He smirked at what he saw. "Well _princess_ , it's either use this or strut around in dirty ankles."

Mortified that he pointed it out, Chi-Chi snatched the handkerchief from his hand and brought herself back to the edge of the water. He was still laughing when she began to undress.

"Turn around, you beef-headed bushwhacker."

Just when he thought his laughter was ending, Kakarot threw his head back and howled. "A beef-headed bushwhacker? I've been called a lot of things but ma'am," he wiped a tear away but had finally turned his back. "You know how to split my sides. You're my type of gal."

Chi-Chi rubbed the damp cloth up her arm towards her neck. She wasn't sure why his comment made her smile, even if it was for a little while.

* * *

Kakarot just couldn't help but stare.

She looked good in his hat. Real good.

When she asked for one since she hadn't been able to wash her hair, Kakarot offered her his brown one. Of course, she protested, saying that the black one he had on would match her dark dress much better. He didn't know how she did it, but she got her way. He had a feeling she usually did.

If Chi-Chi was aware that he was staring at her, she didn't show it. She pressed her head against the side and when she winced, Kakarot worried.

"Does it smart still?"

She nodded and looked at where Vegeta was yesterday. The new driver of her daddy's stagecoach was Kakarot's brother, who although was crude, wasn't as threatening as the leader. Without him, maybe Kakarot would finally be able to answer some questions.

"Why is your father hold up at Devil's Pass?"

When Kakarot took awhile, Raditz spoke for him. "Shot a sheriff dead in the street."

"Oh," Chi-Chi clutched her chest and looked at the back of the brother's head. "That's a serious crime. One that could get you hanged." She was going to continue on about the stories she had heard about Devil's Pass, how nobody that went in ever came back out, but Kakarot’s sudden sternness caught her off guard.

"When I tell you we're in a hurry, that's why."

_Soon you'll know what it's like to have your father be taken away from you._

She didn't dare speak aloud the dark thought in her head, but she couldn't deny it was the first thing that popped into her head. Chi-Chi figured she'd see another side of Kakarot that she didn't want to know, so she asked her next question. "Is Devil's Pass close to Sunnybellow?"

"Depends," Raditz responded once more since Kakarot decided to become uncharacteristically close-mouthed. Maybe she really did push it too far bringing up his father. "Is Sunnybellow close to Windy Summit?"

Chi-Chi couldn't contain her gasp. Kakarot looked up from his boots at her after hearing it. "Yes! That's where Daddy was going to do his mining!"

"Then you're pretty damn close. Twenty miles apart or so."

Oh, how badly she wanted to hug that gross Saiyan for giving her a little piece of hope! There was light at the end of the dark tunnel! She wouldn't have her dad, but at least part of him would be waiting for her. She'd make her getaway once they reached Devil's Pass and never look back, except to shoot them all in the-

"Chi-Chi."

Her smile faded when Kakarot said her name. He was shaking his head like he was disappointed in her. Had he heard her thoughts?

"What?"

"Devil's Pass ain't easy to travel out of. I hope you're not planning on doing it all alone."

"Don't forget the boss might scalp her before we even get there," Raditz chimed in.

"If it's so awful, why are you even trying?" Chi-Chi crossed her arms over her chest. "Sounds like your dad's fate in written in the big bright stars." She had expected a rise out of him, but the Saiyan's lips curled up ever so slightly in a sad smile instead.

"I'd risk it all for my old man. That's what you do when you love somebody."

His words made her feel guilty, especially the way he was looking down at her. She knew he didn't mean to and it was because of his height, but it made her think about how different it would be if she jumped in to save her dad from Vegeta's bullets. Not ever having the time to grieve properly since it happened, Chi-Chi bit her quivering lip and put her cheek on her shoulder. The cowboy hat was blocking her misty eyes from Kakarot's view.

"Sunnybellow," her sort-of companion repeated the name of the town. "Sounds fancy! Is that where you're gonna be a teacher?"

Chi-Chi nodded and straightened up a bit, regaining her composure. There would come a time when she could break down and cry it all out, but not right now. "Yes," she flashed her dark eyes in Kakarot's direction. "That's always been the plan."

The way her eyes were digging into him made Kakarot feel like he was pinned to a mountainboard. Brave, beautiful, funny, _and_ smart. That combination was more lethal than his big iron. The things he would say to her if Raditz weren't here...

"So, Teach," speak of the devil and he shall come. "I have a proposition for you."

"Do I even want to know what it is?"

"If you get Kakarot reading before we get to Devil's Pass, I'll personally tell Vegeta to let you off to hook. Shit, you get him reading one of them chapter books, and I'll see about you joining The Saiyans! Whaddya say?"

Kakarot hid behind his hand as he lowered his elbow to his knee. He could feel his face warming up as his brother yet again so kindly brought up the most embarrassing trait about him. Out of all the times, he could poke fun, why in the company of Chi-Chi? He was expecting her to laugh along with him, but lowered his hand slightly when she said,

"I'll pass on joining with you hoodlums, but I'll take your bet. He's smarter than the whole lot of you from what I've gathered."

"You're on, Teach!"

His hand had completely slipped under his jaw. He relaxed his chin on it, watching her stand up for him. What a girl.

Besides Kakarot looking at her like she was going to be his next meal, Chi-Chi's only problem was not having any supplies to teach him with. The bandits had burned everything. This might prove to be impossible, but she wasn't going to fall back on the challenge now. She was going to begin when the stagecoach had come to a standstill.

"Why the stop!?" Kakarot whined. He meant it when he said he was on schedule. "It's not even night yet!"

"Vegeta needed his fix at Aces. Stop being a little runt and get yourself some pussy," Raditz was on his way out. "I'm going to play cards."

Chi-Chi leaned her body out of the stagecoach to look at this so-called 'Aces'. Even out here in seemingly nowhere, the saloon was extravagant. It was a gorgeous golden color with a fresh sign hanging from the roof. It was _packed_. A variety of wagons and horses were all posted outside. The Saiyans weren't fancy people, so why here of all places?

Kakarot's whistle made her realize he was outside of the stagecoach already. "You comin', slowpoke?"

* * *

This was Chi-Chi's first time at a bar, and it was with an outlaw of all people.

He was downing a bottle of brown liquid and continuously offering her shots that she would turn down. The number of scarlet ladies in the saloon and their revealing outfits was making Chi-Chi blush. They were most likely the reason this place was so rich.

There was one woman who was different from the rest, and Chi-Chi noticed right when she descended down the stairs. She had her hair curled up and a tight black blouse tucked into a skirt that was blue as her hair. She was attractive, but for some reason, none of the men were looking at her like Chi-Chi thought they would. "How beautiful is she!?"

Kakarot followed Chi-Chi's line of vision and chuckled. She was so blissfully unaware of her own charm. "We call her the Queen of Aces. Owner of this here saloon and Vegeta's special gal."

Chi-Chi nearly choked on her drink. Vegeta, _the_ Vegeta, had a 'special gal'? Anyone with a guy like that had to be villainous as well. She seemed so...normal. Chi-Chi took a look at the Queen of Aces again. The blue-haired woman whispered something in Vegeta's ear, and then the two started to saunter up the staircase until they were out of sight.

"She must be shy of brains to be with a person as nasty as that."

Kakarot drank his whiskey like water and smacked his lips together when he placed the glass on the counter. He could hear Raditz somewhere in the back threatening the card dealer for giving him continuous bad hands. Whatever problem that may cause, it was going to have to wait. "Aces ain't just a saloon, darling. It's a front for our colts, money, anything we've annexed over the years."

So the beautiful woman _was_ in cahoots with the Saiyans...

"This whole bar is-"

"Yup," he tipped his head at her and laughed when she gasped. "Full of dirty good-for-nothin' scoundrels like yours truly."

Chi-Chi looked around the saloon with sweat forming on her dark eyebrows. The gorgeousness she had seen prior was completely gone now. The gold-colored tables had lost their shine knowing cruel outlaws tainted them. They were all over the place. Shouting at one another, comparing guns, trading blood-stained goods that had been taken from the innocent...

"Easy now. You're making every cowpoke in here jealous of me tonight."

She had scooted herself so close to Kakarot that their thighs were touching. Chi-Chi could feel her blood buzzing in her ears as the heat between them was smoldering. "Kakarot..." she was frowning through her blush as he proceeded to wink. "Please don't look at me like that. Take me back to the stagecoach. I don't want to be here anymore."

"You don't sound so sure of yourself," Kakarot put a finger under her chin to bring her attention to him after she had looked down at their laps. The poor thing really needed to relax. "Have one more drink to calm your nerves. I'll be right back. Raditz is gettin' a little riled up at the card table."

Chi-Chi had heard the older brother cursing out somebody, but didn't dare turn around to look. She dug her nails into Kakarot's leg and shook her head wildly. "You can't leave me alone with all these thugs around! Are you crazy!?"

His eyes had widened at her touch, but his expression grew into a smirk. "Well, now you're doing an awfully good job of convincing these fine people you're mine. They ain't gonna mess with you," he pried the hand off his leg and admired the silk of her glove against his calloused skin. The upper-class sure had a fine way of living. "I'll be back before you finish your next shot." He kissed her hand with hesitation, unsure of why he did it. Instead of waiting to see her reaction, he got up and left her to help his brother out.

Chi-Chi stared at her hand for a good few seconds before the bartender cleared his throat. He had overheard the conversation and was offering her that 'next shot' Kakarot had mentioned. In a time like this, there wasn't much else she could do. She gulped it down and extended the empty glass at the young man.

"Another."

* * *

"Long time no see, cowboy."

It had been a long two months for the gunslinger and the saloon owner. The frustration built up between them was bound to explode soon. Although they were even in height, Vegeta's raw presence made up for it. Possessive now, he cupped Bulma's cheek and pulled her closer to his lips.

"Didn't I say you'd miss me?"

With a quiet exhale, she traced the outline of his lip with her tongue as if there weren't a bunch of boozehounds walking around them. They knew better than to interrupt the couple.

"Follow me," she demanded simply and turned her back.

Vegeta's favorite thing about Bulma was that she never wasted any time.

_Long time no see, cowboy..._

Damn.

He had been attracted by that raspy voice of hers the minute he first met her. All the sinful deeds he had committed in his life were nothing compared to what he wanted to do to her at that very moment. Bulma's tight body was leading Vegeta up the stairs towards a room he knew all too well. Bulma wet her lips as he backed her up against the wall.

Now touching foreheads, Bulma could inhale his scent. Dark, smoky, and masculine. Just the way she liked it.

"You know it's not polite to keep a lady waiting."

Vegeta growled when the Queen of Aces shoved her hand in between his legs and stroked his hardened cock. The outlaw knew he owed her for what she had done for him. He raked his fingers through her thick blue hair and pulled it to make her quiet moan grow louder. "You've done well by me," he spoke into her exposed neck while gripping her hair. "Let me return the favor."

He hitched up her long skirt as he bit into her neck, teasing her with what was to come. It had been too long for both of them and the desperate noises escaping those lips of hers were tempting him to just end it all right then and there.

No, not his woman. She deserved better.

The outlaw sunk to his knees and disappeared under her skirt. Bulma's breath became unsteady as she felt Vegeta's tongue running up her thigh. His teeth bit her velvet underwear and he pulled them down until he saw what he wanted.

"Oh, fuck!" she threw her head against the wall as he began flicking his tongue on her pink flesh. She rested a leg on his shoulder, desperate to get more. "Yes, just like that..."

The sound of her pleasure was too much to bear, but he had to take care of her first. He delved his tongue into her, lapping his Bulma while she dug her nails into his hair. He grunted against her clit at her touch, now increasing his speed. His large hands ran up her smooth skin until they reached her ass. Giving it a tight squeeze, Vegeta smirked when she cried out in pleasure. He licked his lips after enjoying her taste.

He had barely stood up and Bulma was already frantically unbuttoning his jeans. Not even caring that his clothes weren't completely off and she wasn't naked, she pushed him onto the bed and wrapped her long legs tightly around his waist. Her swollen clit sunk down onto his cock, and the warmth of it caused Vegeta to curse to himself.

He was eyeing her chest, wanting to see more. He ripped the front buttons apart until her breasts were exposed. He kissed the soft skin and massaged her nipples as she rode him. Her breasts were bouncing and she was looking past them at his cock disappear in and out of her body. Vegeta's hands went from her chest to her throat, wrapping his hands around it tightly knowing she could handle it.

"Say my name."

"Vegeta..."

She breathed out when he stopped choking her to pull her hips down harder. Bulma knew by his nails digging into her that he was about to come. The rhythm of his hips slamming into hers was becoming uneven. He was pulsing inside of her and was unable to slow down now. He bit down onto her shoulder to keep himself from yelling out as he finally released what he'd been holding back for months.

The noise downstairs couldn't block out the sounds of their heavy breathing. Vegeta held onto Bulma tightly, feeling the thin sheen of sweat on her bareback. She kissed his forehead. It felt like home.

"At least you didn't break the headboard this time."

Vegeta smirked as he brought her backward onto the bed with him. "Woman, that was your fault after a year's wait. As I recall, you were the one that couldn't wait for it."

"You're so full of yourself," she rolled her eyes but snuggled up closer to him. "How long are you leaving me this time?"

"Six months. Bardock's caught up at Devil's Pass."

Bulma propped herself up with an elbow so she could see his face. "Six months, huh?" she frowned. "That's an awfully long trip to round up the father of the man you hate."

"Never said I hate him. He's just an idiot. That boy fucked us this time bad."

She traced his chest over his shirt that he never took off and raised a thin blue eyebrow. "What did he go and do now?"

"Took a bitch along with us. Claims he doesn't want to fuck her, but it's clearly bullshit. I don't see what worth she has," Vegeta didn't need to look at Bulma to know she was glaring at him now. "Before you start, she's a witness and could ruin everything. I should've shot her when I had the chance."

Before Bulma could teach him a lesson in chivalry, there was a knocking on her bedroom door. She couldn't even button up her shirt because Vegeta had ruined it. He waved her off letting her know he'd take care of it. There was always some drunk coming up here, because only in an inebriated state would someone dare get in the way of the lovers. He adjusted his holster as he pulled up his pants. The knocking had gotten louder, causing him to get even more irritated.

"You're gonna be one sorry son of a bitch!" he barked and opened the door. His father's long time friend and Vegeta's mentor, Nappa, was holding his hat to his chest and rubbing his bald head. "What the hell do you want!?"

"Sorry boss," Nappa sheepishly waved at the woman in the bed covered by sheets. "Sorry, Miss Bulma. Kakarot and Raditz are having issues downstairs. I reckon you sort it out. I know the Queen isn't too fond of bullets being fired in Aces."

"You're damn straight!" Bulma had appeared, now fully dressed with a new top on. She tied her messy bed head up high in a ponytail and tied a red bandana around her neck to hide the marks her lover had left. She rolled up her sleeves, meaning business, and stomped ahead of the Saiyans. She could hear Vegeta's boots clanking close behind. "The last thing we need is the sheriff coming in here."

Vegeta scoffed. "Mr. Shorty is more fit to be a punching bag than a sheriff."

"Krillin still has power," Bulma warned Vegeta with a glance over her shoulder as the three jogged down the stairs. "Remember what a pain in the ass it was to get you out of the jailhouse last time?"

The outlaw rolled his eyes. The Queen of Aces was in-between the two members of the Saiyans. They were walking up to where a crowd had grown. Raditz and a crooked dealer were sizing one another up while Kakarot was tapping his fingers against his holster.

"Just what in the hell is going on here!?" Bulma's voice caused the others to become hushed. They moved out of her way as she stepped forward with her hands on her hips. "You know damn well you settle it outside."

What happened next was undetectable to everyone except Kakarot's keen eyes. The dealer was prepared to shoot Raditz when saw the Saiyan had become distracted. Before he had a chance to even touch his colt, Kakarot fired a bullet directly into the dealer's head. Blood splattered on his brother and some of the nearby patrons. Eyes and bodies began to wander, trying to figure out who had shot the man dead. There was only one person who could've done that so casually.

The fastest gun in the west.

"God damn it, Kakarot!" Bulma and Vegeta snapped at the same time, the latter of the two about to smack him harshly upside the head when another outlaw was shouting at the saloon's entrance.

"THE SHERIFF IS COMIN'! GET A MOVE ON, BOYS!"

"Fuck! This is exactly the reason why I don't have you come inside! Do you hear me, Kakarot? You really-" Vegeta furrowed his brows when he noticed Kakarot wasn't escaping out of the backdoor along with them. While Raditz and Nappa were on the move, the idiot was searching the bar as if he lost something. "Oh, you can't be serious!? The fucking woman!?"

"I ain't leaving without her Vegeta!"

The leader wanted nothing more than to strangle the fool, but this wasn't the right moment to waste time. "Meet us at Rose's if you aren't caught."

"I will."

"Fucking nimrod," Vegeta growled and headed to the back door where his Bulma was. He hated cutting their time short, but she knows how it goes. He gave her one last kiss and waited for her to say the word before he'd be gone for six months.

"Don't get killed, you crazy bastard."

* * *

Chi-Chi had never drunk a day in her life until now.

She had gone too hard.

The atmosphere was no longer smoky, letting her know she was outside. Kakarot was right about nobody messing with her. She walked out of that saloon with not a single hand on her.

She liked it out here. Horses were neighing and crickets were chirping. If she listened really, really hard, she could hear the roaring of a river. What a dream it would be to just float away and wake up in the past. No outlaws. No cleaning herself with a dirty handkerchief. No loneliness.

Just her and her daddy.

_Daddy..._

Noticing that a bush looked comfortable enough to cry on, she collapsed onto it. The twigs inside resembled the horns of her father's hat he had made himself, and it only made her heart ache more. How could it be true that he was really gone? Not even caring anymore about who say, she sobbed into the mess of leaves and branches.

"I HATE YOU, VEGETA!" she screamed. "I HATE YOU-"

"Chi-Chi!?"

She shot straight up hearing a voice that was familiar despite its huffing and puffing. "Kakarot! Hey, y'all! It's Kakarot!"

_Oh, God._

That wide grin on her face that she never wore told him everything he needed to know. She consumed too much hooch, and what perfect timing with the sheriff approaching. He lifted her up like she was his bride and ran to his horse Vegeta had left behind for him. There was cash inside the saddle in case things went south.

"Where we goin'?" her breath reeked of a mixture of whiskey and rum. Just what the hell had she gotten into in such a short amount of time?

He grunted as he placed her on top of the horse. "Trying to make an escape and you're not really making it easy for me, darling."

"Sorry," her words came out slurred as he struggled to sit her upright. He had to get up and share the saddle with her. "I don't drink."

Kakarot straddled himself behind her and pushed her hips forward with his own to get the horse to move. "You sure picked a heck of a time to start."

As the horse began to pick up speed, Chi-Chi was beginning to understand why they called alcohol the tummy buster.

"I'm going to vomit."

"No, no you're not," he wasn't sure if he should be more concerned about the sheriff following his tail or the girl passing out and falling off. With four fingers on both hands holding on the reins tightly, Kakarot used his thumbs to rub her stomach. "Breathe slowly."

It was working a little too well. Her head lolled back until she was looking up at him. Her stomach was higher up than what he was massaging. "I think you're in the wrong place, my friend."

Not forgetting that they were being chased, he glanced down as quick as he could to see what she was talking about. His thumbs were directly on a warm entrance.

"Oops!" his face burned as he quickly brought them back to the reins. "Sorry!"

"I didn't say stop."

His eyes widened at her sudden sultry voice. Drunk Chi-Chi was a dirty bird! The top of her head was still on his chest, staring at him with a smile that soon turned into laughter. The first time he had ever heard her make that beautiful sound.

"I'm just fooling," she giggled and allowed her back to rest comfortably against him as she fixed herself. Her voice was a whisper but he could still hear perfectly. "I wouldn't know what to do with that big iron...and I'm not talking about the gun."

As she laughed loudly again at her joke, Kakarot rested his chin on her shoulder. It was hard to believe this was Chi-Chi. She was going to forget what she said in the morning, but Kakarot knew a drunken mind speaks a sober heart. "You're gonna be the death of me, princess."


	3. Can't Get No Hotter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now on their own for awhile, Kakarot and Chi-Chi begin to open up to one another. Will the offer she gives him ruin her life forever?

After the drama had died down, Bulma sat down at the empty bar to rest her feet. The word 'sheriff' didn't mix well with a saloon known for frequenting outlaws. They'd all be back in a day or so, but it still stung a little. She lifted up a finger to her trusted bartender, who knew exactly what she wanted. A glass of wine to ease her mind.

The girls had all gone to their separate rooms with no visitor while the sheriff was inspecting the murder scene a few feet away.

"What in tarnation happened here?" Krillin had removed his hat to wipe the sweat off his bald head. His eyes narrowed in on the so-called 'Queen' who was drinking and shrugging her shoulders. "I know you know something, Bulma! You always do! Was it that Saiyan of yours?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

The sheriff muttered something under his breath and ordered his second in command, Tien, to carry the dead body outside. This town was getting closer to lawlessness each day and it didn't help those no good dirty rotten Saiyans practically lived in Aces. "I'd suggest finding yourself some better company. It hurts to see a childhood friend wrapped up in trouble."

"Give your best to your _wife_ for me," Bulma waved him off as she headed for the staircase. "Don't let the door hit you on your way out."

Krillin balled up his fist as the blue-haired harlot disappeared from his sight. She always had to point out that he fell for and got hitched with one of her scarlet ladies. "I'm serious, Bulma! You're gonna regret it one day!"

The woman rolled her eyes once she heard him finally walk away. She cracked her neck on both sides while stretching. This was the first time Vegeta wasn't spending the night after one of his visits. It was both annoying and disappointing, and it was all because of-

"Bulma! Open up! I need your help!"

"Kakarot?" she followed the sound of knocking to the back door and opened it. The quick shot was holding a woman in his arms who had traces of vomit on her mouth. Her jaw dropped slightly before lifting up a fist to punch him harshly on the shoulder. "What're ya thinking coming back here!? The sheriff is on the other side!"

"I know, I know. But Bulma!" his voice was as desperate as his eyes as he held on tight to the girl who was fading in and out of consciousness. "I didn't know where else to take her! She was having fun laughing one minute and then the next she's acting like she's been possessed! I've never seen someone so sick from hooch!"

"Her first time drinking?"

"I think so!"

Bulma pursed her lips and tapped her foot against the ground. She groaned and threw her hands up in the hair. "Ugh, fine. But you better get her up to my room quick and quiet or I'm kicking your ass."

Kakarot didn't doubt that she could. He bowed gratefully and slipped inside. As he ran up the stairs, Chi-Chi held on tighter to him. He liked to think she knew she was in good hands. When Bulma had gotten to her room, Kakarot had already placed her on the bed.

"You need to put her on her side."

The Saiyan frown, not knowing such things were necessary but believing Bulma. She was the Queen of Aces after all and dealt with this for a living. After he had her situated correctly, he brought his attention to Vegeta's gal once more. "I really do appreciate it. I thought she was a goner."

"Don't mention it," Bulma spoke bluntly but then gave the mysterious female a once over. She was younger than herself by a couple of years and closer to Kakarot's age. "Is she the one Vegeta mentioned? The witness or something like that?"

Kakarot reddened slightly, wondering what else Vegeta told her about Chi-Chi. She was worth way more than his opinion. "Your sweetheart killed her father. I wasn't just gonna leave her."

Bulma pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed heavily. Of course, Vegeta would leave that part out. "That man is going to make me grayer than a goat at this rate. Sorry, Kakarot. Rest with her tonight and I'll be sure to take care of her before you guys head out."

The cowboy thanked her as she left the room shaking her head. He then sat down at the edge of the bed to remove his boots. When they hit the carpet, he heard Chi-Chi speaking to him.

"Can you hold me?"

Kakarot was beaming. Even if she was intoxicated, it was nice to be able to get so close to her without repercussions. He finished removing his clothes until he was left in nothing but his gray union suit. He would've taken everything off since he gets so hot in a bed, but he didn't want to frighten her when she woke up in the morning. He wrapped his arms completely around her waist and pulled her into him.

"Good night, Chi-Chi."

"Good night, handsome."

* * *

There were strong arms holding her torso preventing Chi-Chi from moving.

Unlike yesterday, she didn't wake up on the hard ground. She was in a bed, just as soft as the one she had left behind in the north. Her eyes shot open and searched the unfamiliar area. She was definitely in a bedroom, and it was painted gold and red like...

Aces.

Her head throbbed, causing her to remember the poor choice she made last night. The last thing she remembered was crashing into that bush to take a nap. Had someone brought her inside?

The snoring caught her attention as she tipped her head backward to see Kakarot drooling into her hair. She lifted the blanket to make sure they were clothed. She didn't remember coming back inside at all.

She _did_ need to use the latrine. That was the only certainty she had.

After forcibly trying for a good minute, Chi-Chi was able to pry herself away from the Saiyan and stumbled her way out of the room. She was in the upper hallway of Aces now, where all the sinful deeds were done. Her hands felt clammy at the thought and she wiped them on the sides of her dress.

_If I were a toilet pan, where would I be?_

When Chi-Chi turned a corner, she was greeted by the Queen of Aces who looked like she hadn't slept all night. She was still wearing the same outfit she had on the night before and her hair was frazzled. Still, she was beautiful and intimidating. Chi-Chi rubbed her arm as she rocked on her heels from her nerves. "Hi, there. It seems like I'm a little lost..."

Bulma motioned for her to follow her as she talked. "I was just about to go wake you. I've been heating up water for your bath and it's just about ready," they stopped at another room and Bulma allowed her to enter first. "This is the washroom. Toilet's behind the tub."

Chi-Chi clasped her hands together as she gasped. There was beautiful, wonderful steam rising from the silver tub - one that was much larger than the one she had back at home. Her finger pointed excitedly at another object that caught her eye. "Is that a porcelain toilet bowl!? I had one just like it!"

Bulma couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. It was rare for her to see someone so happy over a simple toilet. "Yeah, it's just fine I suppose. You know, I hear there's one that flushes. Think it's high time I invested in one."

"Get out of town!" Chi-Chi's eyes widened. The Queen of Aces truly lived up to her name. She was so caught up in the perfection of it all that she forgot who Bulma had connections with. "Your whole place is just gorgeous. I simply love it."

The slightly older woman smiled and placed a loose piece of blue hair behind her ear. "Thank you. I'll leave you to it, then. I left some clothes in the drawer for you. I noticed Kakarot didn't have anything for you."

Chi-Chi's smile vanished and was replaced by a look of embarrassment. She didn't want her to get the wrong idea. "He and I don't go together... He just likes to help me. A lot."

Maybe a little too much.

"You don't need to explain yourself to me," Bulma assured her. "Get yourself ready now. The sheriff will most likely be back again and Vegeta doesn't like to be kept waiting for long. Trust me."

That name made her scowl and Bulma noticed. "How could you be with someone as cruel as him!?" her voice had both risen and become shaky. "Do you know what he did to my father!?"

Bulma inhaled deeply and nodded her head. He didn't always make her proud like he promised he would. "I'm sorry about that, I really am. Vegeta wasn't always like that. By and by he's gotten worse but he still..." she trailed off when she knew it was pointless trying to defend him from someone so hurt. Her own father was her favorite man in the world, higher up on her list than Vegeta. "Just take my hospitality as a peace offering from me. I can't control what he does, but I still feel responsible for not being harder on him."

Chi-Chi was about to curse at the woman for being so naïve, but Bulma suddenly doubled over in pain. All looks of anger had faded as she ran to her side. "Are you alright!?"

"Yeah," she winced and tried to stand up straight with Chi-Chi's help. "I might have a trace of a bug. I've been feeling nauseous for quite some time and my chest has felt heavy. I'll be fine. It comes and goes."

_Oh, no..._

"If you don't mind me asking, has it been a while since your last cycle?"

Bulma blinked her blue eyes and removed herself slowly from Chi-Chi. What did that have to do with...

"Shit."

"Shit," Chi-Chi repeated. There was a chance she was carrying the devil's spawn.

* * *

The eggs and beans combined had tasted _so_ good that Kakarot was now lapping the plate. He lowered it slightly when he heard someone coming down the stairs. "Howdy! What's with the long face?"

"None of your business," Bulma snapped and slipped an envelope on the table towards the Saiyan. "I need you to give it to Vegeta when you see him." Knowing he couldn't read, her message was secure.

Kakarot shrugged and stood up to place it in the back of his dark jeans. "Where's Chi-Chi!? Her breakfast is going to get cold!"

"She'll be down in a minute," the blue-haired woman muttered under her breath. She was clearly bothered by something, but Kakarot didn't like to ask her too many questions. That was Vegeta's job. "I'm going to take a long walk. You can go ahead and leave your plates when you're done." She walked away before he could thank her. He went back to eating, now munching on toast. Crumbs fell to the otherwise clean floor of Aces and Kakarot kicked them away so Bulma wouldn't scold him for it later.

"Kakarot?"

The Saiyan swiveled around on his chair when his name was called by a familiar voice. His eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her. "Well I'll be damned," even his voice smiled. "And I thought you were perfect with your dirty little ankles."

Chi-Chi had her hands on her hips and was glaring at him like he had done something wrong. Her usual look. Her long black hair was still wet from her bath and the white top Bulma had given her was a little more revealing than she preferred. She didn't want to bother the saloon owner after watching her emotional break down upstairs in the washroom. "Do you have a scarf or bandana or anything in the saddlebag? I need some more coverage."

Kakarot shook his head and continued to follow her with his eyes as she sat down at the table with him. "No, but we can buy one a few towns over. I'm a wanted man here."

Chi-Chi shot him a glare when she picked up her fork. "Let me guess. You're going to buy it with _my_ money you stole?"

"Is that a problem?"

He chuckled when a small piece of scrambled eggs was thrown at his forehead.

* * *

"This is so uncomfortable."

"You weren't complaining about it last night."

Chi-Chi looked back at him with her thin brows scrunched together. "We were on a horse last night?"

Kakarot winked at her as he controlled the reins expertly. "How could I forget? You were being a little tease."

"I was not!" she fumed and face forward so he wouldn't see. "You're just trying to flatter yourself!"

"Mm, I dunno," he leaned back in the saddle so he could admire her sun-dried hair. It was shining like it always should. "You were getting me all riled up for awhile. Saying I had a big iron."

Chi-Chi wanted to cross her arms over her chest, but when she tried to she lost balance. Kakarot used his hips to keep her straight. "Isn't that what your gun is called?"

"Don't think you were talking about the gun, darling."

Unsure of what else she could've possibly meant, Chi-Chi shrugged it off and rubbed the neck of the horse. These animals were so precious, and hers were in the dangerous hands of Vegeta. "Anything I might have said, I certainly did not mean."

"Whatever you say."

It wasn't long until the two entered the town of Coyote Alley. They secured their horse outside a general store and Kakarot removed the cash from the saddlebag, making sure not to drop Vegeta's letter from Bulma. Kakarot grinned at Chi-Chi while flashing the paper. "Get whatever you want. It's on me."

Ignoring him, Chi-Chi entered with Kakarot following closely behind. While he went off on his own, she studied the rack of scarves and picked the only one that wasn't a gaudy color. She raised her eyebrows when she saw Kakarot coming back with an armful. "Pen and paper?"

"You weren't lying about teaching me, were you?"

There was disappointment in his voice that made Chi-Chi reach out and touch his arm. "No, of course not. Just surprised is all. That's a really nice pen. Can you afford it?"

Kakarot flashed his teeth at her. "Only the best for you."

* * *

It didn't matter that Vegeta was expecting him to be at Rose's, or that he was briefly running behind schedule. Sitting here in the quiet, wide open grass with Chi-Chi was where he wanted to be.

"What's that? Chicken scratch?"

"Letters. You need to learn each name and the sound they make before you're even ready for reading."

Kakarot didn't understand a word she said, but he liked watching her write. She stuck her tongue out as she did it and was completely focused. When she was done, she pointed to the first symbol.

"This is an 'A'. Can you say that? Aye. Like that."

The outlaw repeated her, and that earned him the teacher's smile. "Good! The next letter is 'B'. Bee."

"Like the bug?"

"Exactly!" Chi-Chi was actually excited about this, and Kakarot was noticing her happiness that was rarely seen. "Can I ask you something, if you don't mind?"

"Shoot."

"How come your folks taught Raditz and not you?"

His moment of silence made Chi-Chi think he wasn't going to tell her, but then he sighed. He didn't like thinking about the early days. "Raditz was born before Pops fell into the life. Ma was too busy running the ranch while he was out that my reading wasn't such a big deal."

Chi-Chi frowned and placed her hand on his knee gently. "Don't say that. Reading is a very big deal. It means you're educated, and nobody can ever take your education away from you," her tone was comforting and full of high expectations at the same time. Kakarot only had one other person in his life talk to him this way and Chi-Chi was just about to bring her up. "How's your mom handling the ranch now that you're in a gang?"

"She's six feet underground now and the ranch ain't there."

Although Kakarot didn't seem too shook up about his answer, it still made Chi-Chi sad for him. "My mama died when I was little and Daddy...," she paused to keep her tears at bay. "Well, you know. I guess you and I are like peas and carrots in the parent aspect."

Kakarot picked her hand up off his knee so he could hold it. He used his free hand to remove his hat from his head and tossed it on the grass next to them. The poor thing had been through a lot of pain because of his gang. There was at least something he could say to possibly make her feel better. "Remember when you asked me what happened with your dad's body?"

Did she want to know the truth? Chi-Chi gulped before nodding wordlessly.

"Well while Vegeta was counting up the money after hitting your head, I used my spurs to dig a hole in a nice spot. Took some time, but I did it. I made sure he was in a safe spot like my Ma was. I found some wildflowers to put on top of it. I dunno if they're alive anymore, but I wanted you to be able to find him if you ever went back."

Given the circumstances, that was the kindest act she had ever heard. Knowing her daddy wasn't out there getting eaten by buzzards or worse, Chi-Chi let her tears fall as she leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "Thank you," she wiped her eye and smiled at him. "Now I know he's resting."

Kakarot's skin prickled when she made contact with him. He turned towards her and placed his hands in the grass on either side of her. She was trapped in between his straight arms. "You're quite welcome, ma'am."

They had become dangerously close. Kakarot paused before their lips could touch. She was breathing in his air while her body became completely flushed. Chi-Chi pleaded with him through her ever-growing dizziness.

"I...I suppose that's enough for the day."

A shiver ran down her spine when his lips brushed against her ear when he whispered his response. "You really do make my heart go. Just thought you should know, darling." When he kissed her hot cheek, Kakarot lingered there for a while. It didn't even matter if she didn't feel the same way. He had to tell her.

_This man is a Saiyan, a member of the gang that murdered your father. Don't fall for his flirting. You don't even know him._

Sirens were going off inside her mind as he rested against the side of her face. It failed to prevent her from wrapping her arms around his neck. He reacted by placing his hands on her hips. They sat there in the wild grass embracing one another in silence. For Kakarot, it felt good to be held. For Chi-Chi, it was used as a defense mechanism. The power of where to go from here laid within the woman.

"You don't have to say anything," Kakarot moved his head so he could look down at that face of hers. If Vegeta hadn't done what he did, this could be different for them. He had a gut feeling they would've met somewhere down the long dusty trail in the future another way. But she was scared and unsure, it was clear as day. There wasn't much that could change that. "Just believe I won't ever hurt you. Not the way you're thinkin'."

_Don't give him the time of day. Play it friendly enough to get you to Sunnybellow, to get your fingers on his trigger to make them pay._

"One kiss, cowboy. That's it. Then we're back to being cordial."

Kakarot swallowed hard at her offer. He'd be a fool not to take it. He moved one hand off her hip to place it behind her hair. It was a gentle touch at first, but Chi-Chi had to bite back a moan when he began raking his fingers through it. The man that was eyeing her darkly couldn't possibly be the sweet Kakarot she was getting to know. Her heart rate increased realizing this wasn't going to be just a simple peck like she thought.

When her lips touched his, Chi-Chi felt a jolt inside her. His fingers on the back of her head were digging into her as he pressed her deeper. Her moan as he sucked on her tongue made Kakarot want to pin her down in the grass. Her being stunned by his surprise talent was allowing him to do just that. They still hadn't come up for air as he brought her back.

Now underneath him, Chi-Chi was practically being fucked in the mouth by his tongue. She never thought Kakarot of all people would make her brain stop functioning. She hooked her leg around his waist, craving more of what he was revealing.

But their little lip play ended when Kakarot pulled himself away to look down at her blushing face. A smirk slowly grew across his face noticing she was pouting out of disappointment.

"I believe you said one kiss and one kiss only, ma'am."

_Kiss!? He nearly impregnated you!_

Chi-Chi blinked as Kakarot did a push up to get off of her. She stared up at the clouds, trying to rationalize what the hell he did to her. The Saiyan was putting the reading materials into the saddlebag then glanced back at her. Seeing her laying down on her back, knowing he put her there, was so damn satisfying. God, was it hard to stop himself. He wanted her to trust him more than anything, so he needed to respect her words.

"You comin' princess?"

"Give me a minute, please."

She sounded out of breath. Kakarot shrugged his shoulders as he continued to pack up. Then he nearly jumped out of his skin as the woman was screaming her frustrations into the black cowboy hat he left behind.

If this is what happened at letter 'B', what in the Sam Hill was going to happen once they got to 'Z'?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know what just conspired may be surprising for a slow burn/the character, but what comes after leads to an interpersonal conflict with both. That's the beauty of making these characters human. We are insanely imperfect and slightly impulsive. Make it what you will but just know I ain't rushing our babes. ;-)


	4. Tough Luck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Vegeta receives a troubling message, he depends on Kakarot to lift his spirits. Chi-Chi is left alone with Raditz and Nappa for the first time and discovers luck may finally be on her side.

There was an awkward silence between them that was making Kakarot uncomfortable. From the way she got all hot and bothered, he figured Chi-Chi had enjoyed herself. He frowned while staring at the back of her head that had pieces of grass in it. He opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong but closed it. He didn't really want to know.

Chi-Chi didn't enjoy the silence, either. She didn't know how to put what she was feeling into words. The kiss, which was way more than that, felt explosive. It wasn't like her, though. She wanted to thank him somehow for what he did for her dad, but smooching a man as unlawful as him a few days after the meeting didn't feel right. A different body part besides her heart and mind had taken over. It was embarrassing and confusing all at the same time. She could feel him staring into her back and he wasn't even trying to hold her. He had his hands respectfully on the reins on either side of her. She had to say something soon so he wouldn't feel bad, but what?

"Hey, Chi-Chi? I have a question."

Here it comes.

"What is it?"

"I was thinking about...that letter Bulma gave me," he lied and was glad she couldn't see his face. "Have any idea what it's about? She was real moody when she handed it over."

Chi-Chi knew she should keep it a secret out of respect for a woman's privacy, but she really needed to talk about something new. Kakarot didn't seem like the type to gossip. "It _might_ be something to do with the fact that she's pregnant with his child."

"WHAT!?" If Kakarot had water in his mouth he would've spit it all up on her hair. "That's great! He's going to be so happy!"

"Really?" Chi-Chi was genuinely surprised, both by his words and reaction to the news. She was in the washroom when Bulma had a meltdown, and even saw what she wrote in the letter. "I don't think the feeling's mutual."

"Why not? They're crazy about each other."

Chi-Chi knew not to say more. The rest was between that strange couple. Instead, she said the first thing that popped into her mind. "Do you think it's a good idea to have a child with someone who's hardly around?"

Kakarot shrugged and tilted his head to the side as he thought about it. "It's tough, but it can be done. My ma did a pretty good job."

"But your dad wasn't _always_ away, was he?"

"No. I suppose he wasn't," Kakarot nodded his head and moved closer up to Chi-Chi as their horse sped up at his command. "In that type of situation, I would have to say it's a bad idea. Most people change their ways, though. I know I would."

That was shocking. Chi-Chi finally made eye contact with him as she looked over her shoulder. "You want a child of your own one day?"

Kakarot grinned wide. "I want ten!"

Chi-Chi's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. She didn't know any man that actually craved children _that_ much. "That's a lot! Why so many?"

"Kids are great! You of all people should know that," Kakarot leaned into her ear that was closer to him and whispered out of habit. "Plus imagine the baby-making when you're with the right person."

Chi-Chi's face burnt up, being reminded of the hidden talent he revealed not too long ago. It was truly none of her business, but all his contradictions were making her wonder. "If you don't mind me asking, how many women have you been with?"

"Just a few. Some random girls on the trail," he wasn't proud to admit it, but he wanted to be honest. "I wanted to see what the guys enjoyed so much but it never made me as happy. Could I be bold to ask you?"

She didn't like to be reminded of it, but if Kakarot answered she felt it was only right. She looked forward at the grassland in front of them. "One. We were going to get married, but he had different intentions."

Kakarot stared at the back of her head. The way she wrapped her leg around him made it seem like she was pro. It was also a relief. "Were you trying to save yourself for a husband?"

She nodded, and her voice had gotten much quieter. "Yes. I intend on the next person I'm with to be my partner for life. I don't want to go through that mess and heartache again."

The Saiyan was beginning to understand her former silence now. "You shouldn't feel ashamed about our kiss, Chi-Chi. Kissing ain't like that other stuff."

"I'd still prefer if we didn't do it again. I'm sorry for leading you on with it."

Kakarot couldn't deny he was crestfallen, but at least she was still speaking to him. "I understand, darling. If you change your mind, just let me know."

"Okay," was all she could think to say. It was for the best to just forget and move on, even if she couldn't get the feeling out of her mind. After another long bout of silence, the two had reached the cantina that Vegeta had told them he'd be waiting. Kakarot helped Chi-Chi off the horse and tied the animal upon the post before entering Rose's. She was hiding behind his tall body in case there were murderous outlaws in this place like Aces.

"There you are, brother!" Raditz shouted from a table as soon as he saw them and held up a pitcher. "I thought your ass was locked up in county with how long you took! You're lucky we even waited!"

"Ah, you know me better than that!" Kakarot pulled out a chair for Chi-Chi to sit in and even pushed her in while looking around. He could see Nappa at the card table. "Where's Vegeta at? Bulma wanted me to give him something."

"In the crapper, I think," Raditz guzzled his drink and then grinned at the girl who didn't return one back. "I'll keep an eye on her if you wanted to bring it to him."

Kakarot gave Chi-Chi a thumbs up to let her know she'd be okay and headed towards the bathroom. She could see Raditz searching her up and down. "Can I help you!?" she snapped.

"Calm down, Teach!" he chuckled and reached a hand forward to remove a blade of grass from her hair. He held it in front of her and watched her turn red. "I see you kept my brother busy."

* * *

"It's okay, Kakarot. Researchers say that it takes hundreds of times before letters actually register in someone's brain."

He was holding his head in his hands, frustrated that he kept messing up with reciting his ABCs. If he couldn't get this, then he couldn't get sounds. If he couldn't get sounds, he couldn't read. If he couldn't read-

"Relax," her voice was calming him. "Try again."

Kakarot took a deep breath. They were sitting about a mile away from Rose's around a fire. Night had fallen quicker than he realized. He was thankful that Raditz and Nappa were occupied by a game of horseshoes so they wouldn't rag on him. "A, B, C, D-"

"Kakarot!"

He didn't even need to turn his head to see who interrupted him. Vegeta had finally returned from the bar after reading the letter from Bulma. "Yessir?"

"Come with me."

It wasn't a question, it was a demand. Kakarot sighed and looked at Chi-Chi with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, darling. I'll be right back."

Without even waiting for her response, Kakarot had run up to Vegeta and left her behind. She was now left alone with Raditz and Nappa, who had just thrown their last horseshoe and were looking for something else to do. Chi-Chi gulped as they walked in her direction, unsure of how friendly or how savagely they were going to treat her with her only friend gone.

* * *

The two Saiyans walked side by side at the same pace, only pausing when Vegeta lit a match to start up his hand-rolled cigarette. He took a puff and offered it to Kakarot, who accepted it to be friendly. Vegeta had a strange way of rolling tobacco up with a corn shuck and Kakarot could taste it when he inhaled. The messy-haired outlaw started coughing loudly, and with tears in his eyes he handed back the cowboy killer.

"Geez, Vegeta!" he coughed again. "Does it always burn like that?"

"Only to pansies like yourself," he talked with the cigarette sitting in his mouth as he tucked the matches into his pocket. He inhaled and exhaled, blowing smoke rings into the dark sky. "You don't feel it after a while."

Kakarot hacked up the last of it into his elbow and shook his head. He waved the smoke around with his hand so he could see Vegeta clearly. "So what did you wanna talk about?"

"That letter you gave me. Bulma's with child."

When Kakarot realized Vegeta was looking at him for a reaction to the 'surprising' news, Kakarot placed his hands over his mouth and raised his eyebrows. "What!? _You're kidding_!? Bulma? Pregnant? I'll be damned. This is the first I've heard of it," he looked down at the Saiyan's leader when he heard Vegeta swallow. "How do ya feel?"

Vegeta dropped the now tobacco-less corn shuck and rubbed it into the ground with the bottom of his boot. "She doesn't know if she wants to keep it or not. She wrote some bullshit about not wanting to raise a child in a world like this. Can you believe that shit?" He raised his hands outward and breathed in the summer air. "The world's a hell of a lot better than it used to be."

Kakarot rubbed the back of his neck that was becoming wet from the humidity. That was a sure sign for rain tonight. "You wanna have a kid and she don't?"

"I'm not opposed to it," Vegeta shrugged as they started walking again. "That damn woman thinks the child will be fucked up because of me. This is why you don't get tied down to a single one. They always end up disappointing you one way or another. I couldn't care less what she does now. I'm not going back to her."

Kakarot frowned as they sat down on the trunk of a tree that had fallen down from a storm. Vegeta was refusing to make eye contact with him. He was saying this out of hurt."Aw, you don't mean that. Bulma's your lady."

"Was."

" _Is_. Maybe she doesn't know how you really feel? You could always write her a letter back," Kakarot snapped his fingers and grinned. "Hey! You know Chi-Chi is really good with words! She could help you!" The taller Saiyan thought he was going to get pistol-whipped judging by the evil eye Vegeta gave him, but the outlaw surprised him by sounding just as quiet and defeated as he did before.

"I don't want you blabbing your mouth to her or anyone else. This is between us."

"You have my word," Kakarot gave him a thumbs up. "But you should let Bulma know. Maybe she says those things to you on account of how ornery you get?" It looked like Vegeta was considering it, but then the leader spit up the after taste of his smoking session on the dirt.

"You're still a young buck and just as dumb as one. Women don't conceal their emotions. She meant what she said. Trust me."

Kakarot wasn't sure what to say. It was clear as day that Vegeta was hurting but would rather get shot repeatedly in the heart than admit it. Maybe he did know best, considering Vegeta's experience with the ladies was much higher than his own. Still, it was obvious Bulma and Vegeta cared for one another more than Kakarot's own folks did, and that was saying something.

"Do you remember that time Raditz caught Bulma's curtains on fire so she singed some of his hair off?"

Vegeta fought off the smile that was about to show. "Then I fucked him up for calling her a bitch."

"Yeah, he stopped playing with matches after that," Kakarot laughed and patted Vegeta on the back. "See? You call girls that name all the time but got mad when it came to her. She's special to you. I don't think you should quit on her so quick."

Vegeta brushed his hand off him. As much as he hated Kakarot's good heart, it's the reason he came to him in the first place. It was all making sense, but Vegeta still couldn't shake off the feeling that Bulma didn't want him. And he was fine with that. At least, he would be soon.

"Give me your canteen."

"I'm dried out."

"Fuck," Vegeta muttered and then got to his feet. He spoke as he yawned and stretched. "Guess I'm going back inside Rose's."

Kakarot didn't really want to go back to the saloon, especially with Chi-Chi waiting for him to get back. At the same time, he didn't want to leave a drunk Vegeta unsupervised. The leader of the Saiyans, who had only become so after Vegeta Sr. was killed, had his back from the day they met. Even if he had a mean way about it. Knowing that Raditz would watch out for Chi-Chi, Kakarot sighed and feigned a grin.

"Not without me."

* * *

It was awkwardly quiet by the fire tonight. Nappa was playing a game of solitaire and Chi-Chi was pretending to be interested in a scuff on her boots. Raditz would need to find some entertainment before he went mad. He kicked Nappa on the shoulder, causing him to drop his cards and snarl.

"What's the matter with you!?"

"Didn't think I'd get your attention any other way," Raditz winked and held his hand out. "Give me your knife. I'm going to show Teach over here how to play Five Finger Fillet."

Nappa glanced at the girl who had been given the nickname. She hugged her knees tighter into herself and acted like she didn't hear, but her eyes were still wide nonetheless. "I don't think the little thing is interested in that." He handed Raditz the knife either way and picked up his cards.

Raditz rolled his eyes when Chi-Chi began scooting away. "I'm not gonna use it on you. It's for a game."

"What kind of game uses a knife like that?" she replied, intimidated by the length. It looked like a knife that was used for carving through the thick skins of animals. That, and the fact the game was called Five Finger Fillet, didn't sit well at all.

"If you're that afraid, just watch me. I'm a pro."

Nappa laughed and put his cards inside his pocket. He reached a hand over and gave Chi-Chi a nudge. "Yeah, you're gonna have to watch this. Last time he nearly took his finger off."

Chi-Chi eyed Raditz as he sat cross-legged in front of a stump. He motioned for the two to move closer so they could observe. Once they did, Raditz placed his palm face down and spread his fingers out. The woman let out a gasp as he stabbed the knife in between his fingers at a rapid speed. Noticing the scars on his hand, he must have missed a couple of times prior to this in the past.

"You do this for _fun_!?"

"Wanna have a go at it?"

"Uh, no?"

"Why not?"

"Because I have a brain?"

Both the men howled while Chi-Chi looked at them like they were crazy. Despite her objections, Raditz was still offering her the knife. "C'mon, Teach. What else do you have going on? Hell, you can even practice on my hand if you'd like."

That seemed to pique her interest. Chi-Chi took the knife and moved so that she was sitting opposite of Raditz. He sprawled his hand out once more and nodded for her to give it a go. Slowly, she stabbed the spaces in between the flesh.

"I know you can go faster than that!"

His taunting got to her. She picked up the pace, and everything was going smoothly until the blade scraped the outlaw's knuckle. Chi-Chi dropped the knife as Raditz sucked on the cut and spit up the blood. "I'm so sorry! Honest! Are you alright!?"

He was waving his hand around while Nappa was wiping tears of laughter away from his eyes. "Eh, it's not the first time. But," he chuckled as sweat collected on his eyebrows. "Let's do something else."

While the two Saiyans were brainstorming about what to do next, the shimmer of the blade on the stump was calling out to Chi-Chi. She kept her eyes on them as she removed the knife from its spot and placed it inside her garter under her skirt. She wasn't planning on using it tonight, but at least now she had some sort of comfort.

She just hoped they wouldn't notice.

"You ever play poker before?"

Chi-Chi blinked her long eyelashes innocently at Nappa, having just succeeded in stealing a weapon seconds ago. "No. I've always been curious about it, though. Is it hard?"

"Gambling's an art, sweetheart. You can make a lot of good money once you've mastered it. Wanna learn?"

"Anything's better than Five Finger Fillet."

The three gathered close to the stump once more, two of them not noticing that something had disappeared. Nappa began shuffling the cards. "You know anything about the hands?"

"What hands?"

As Nappa began explaining the differences between a royal and a straight flush, Chi-Chi reached back for her paper and pen to jot it all down. "And lastly," Nappa craned his neck to make sure she was all caught up. "The nothing hand. Pretty much speaks for itself."

Chi-Chi looked up and down her list. "Wow, I never knew card games could be so simple."

"Poker is more than a card game," Raditz placed rocks on the stump that they were going to use as chips. "It's a game of strategy. You can make your little lists and all that cute stuff, but the way you win is by reading people. Ante up."

Chi-Chi placed two rocks in the middle after watching the men do the same thing. Nappa burned the first card in the deck and passed out two cards to all of them.

"Read your cards, fellas. What say you?"

"Raise," Raditz said confidently.

"Call," Nappa placed the same amount of rocks as Raditz did and looked at Chi-Chi. "Miss?"

"I guess I'll call too," Chi-Chi frowned and copied them. An hour into the game continued this way, with Chi-Chi mimicking the experienced Nappa. She had knocked out Raditz and was now left against Nappa. All rocks were on the table as they stared each other down. The oldest Saiyan of the group curled his lip up as he studied her expression. It was the final showdown.

They flipped their cards over at the same time, and Chi-Chi stuck out her tongue. "Royal flush, sucker!"

Raditz jumped to his feet and was gripping his hair while howling. "Oh shit! She beat the master on her first try!"

"That's impossible!" Nappa roared while looking at his losing hand in disbelief. "You cheated!"

Chi-Chi high fived Raditz as Nappa struggled with the idea he had lost. No, it wasn't cheating. As Chi-Chi could feel the knife under her skirt, she knew it was Lady Luck finally shining down on her.

* * *

Kakarot sat with his elbows on the bar top as Vegeta reached a hand behind to slap the woman's ass that just delivered the drinks. Instead of drinking, Kakarot slid his glass towards Vegeta who had been guzzling both their liquor all night. He was honestly surprised to see his leader still sitting up straight.

"Did spanking that poor gal make you feel any better?"

"It was _soft_ ," Vegeta looked at him with one eye bigger than the other. "Bulma's is _firm_."

This was the hundredth time he said her name since they've entered the saloon. Kakarot sipped on his cool glass of water and swallowed. "You consider my idea of writing back to her yet?" He had to hold back his laughter when Vegeta smiled broadly, a sight rarely seen if at all. How embarrassed he'd be if Kakarot had a camera to capture his wide variety of facial expressions.

"I noticed that _bitch_ of yours has big tits," Vegeta's glossy eyes couldn't focus on his partner's face. They were drifting around in the general area of where he assumed Kakarot was. "If you're not going to man up and fuck her, I know plenty who'd buy her in a heartbeat."

Kakarot's hand tightened so much on his water glass that it shattered in his hands. He spoke in an undertone as he leaned in close to Vegeta, doing his best to keep his anger in check. "I know you're drunk, but you don't talk about Chi-Chi that way."

Looking at the glass shards on the bar top, Vegeta picked up his own mug, and with a wide sweep, he threw it across the room. He grinned at the sound of the glass shattering and then swung his head back to Kakarot. "Whatcha gonna do about it?"

The younger Saiyan breathed in and out of his nose while Vegeta raised and lowered his eyebrows. Kakarot kept his voice quiet, but stern and deadly. "You know what I'll do."

Vegeta's jaw slacked while raising his hands up. He made finger guns and wagged them around. "Pow, pow, pow?"

Kakarot did his best to keep his face straight but cracked up at his normally serious leader's sound effects and gestures. "Yeah," he spoke between laughs. "Pow, pow, pow."

Vegeta pointed his 'barrel' at Kakarot's chest and clicked his tongue when he pulled the trigger. "I just killed you."

The other Saiyan raised his hands up to his ears and closed his eyes. "Ah, you got me!" When he stuck out his tongue, Vegeta laughed and pounded the counter loudly with his fist.

"Looks like you boys are enjoying yourselves."

Kakarot opened his eyes to see a new drink girl holding a tray to fill up what had disappeared. Vegeta removed cash from his pocket and shoved a few bills down her cleavage. At least he thought he did. He was a few inches short of his goal and the money fell to the floor. The woman placed her boot on it before a vagrant could snatch it up.

"Thanks," Kakarot chuckled as he struck out his hand to stop Vegeta from falling off his stool. "But I think we had enough."

"Have one for the road then," she winked at Kakarot. "My name's Caulifla. What's your's, stranger?"

He looked at the hand she placed on his arm and then back at her face. "Kakarot. Sorry about your glass."

"Happens all the time," he could see her arms had a bit of tone to them like she was the one who fought off all the drunks yet was as womanly as they come. "Where you two headed? Rich Man's Stream?"

"Rich Man's Stream? What's that?"

The woman's eyes widened as she placed a hand on her thin hip. "You never heard of Rich Man's Stream? Where have you been at?"

"On the road mostly," Kakarot moved a drink away from Vegeta before he could gulp it down. "What's so special about it?"

Caulifla placed her tray down on the countertop and grabbed his hand. She sure had a grip to her. "Come on, I'll show you."

"Wait," Kakarot was being pulled away against his will, but he managed to grab Vegeta's wrist before being dragged too far. "Where we going!?"

"Kakarot," Vegeta's voice was slurred and slightly terrified all at once. "Stop the bitch. I'm not into an orgy with another man involved."

Caulifla looked beyond Kakarot at the shorter Saiyan and made a gagging sound. "Don't flatter yourself, honey. I'm not interested in you."

"Fuck you."

When her hand tightened, Kakarot sucked in air through his teeth. _He_ wasn't interested in her but wanted to see what she had that made Rich Man's Stream so special. They entered her room and she released Kakarot's hand to go to her bed stand. He didn't even notice he was still holding onto Vegeta's wrist. He stood there holding onto him when she came back.

"Take a look."

Kakarot looked into her open palm to see a shiny, but very small, sparkling golden nugget. A sudden chill swept through him as if a cold wind cut through the room. The fine hairs on his arms stood up. Everything he needed was in the stranger's hand. "Gold..."

"The river is full of it," Caulifla grabbed his free hand and placed the nugget into his. She held with both of her hands. "You can take this with you, cowboy. For a price."

Kakarot looked from their hands to her eyes and scrunched his eyebrows together. "It's alright, ma'am. I'm afraid I belong to another."

Caulifla frowned, clearly disappointed. She stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Take it anyway," she whispered. "To remember me by when it doesn't work out." When she released his hand, Kakarot took another look at the gold and put it safely in his pocket to show Raditz.

"Bye Cauliflower!" Vegeta shouted as he leaned against Kakarot. They had their arms around each other's shoulders as they headed out of the saloon to return to the others. Vegeta's wobbling seemed to get worse when they hit fresh air. "That was a good call. Did you notice she had small tits?"

Kakarot's mind was on something else as he supported Vegeta's increasing dead weight. As they reached the camp, he dropped Vegeta off with Nappa and headed towards the fire where his brother was passed out. Chi-Chi wasn't too far away. He smiled in relief, knowing that she was taken care of.

"Pst, Raditz!" Kakarot was standing over his sleeping brother who was not budging. He tried again, this time with a kick. "Raditz!"

Startled, his brother's arms and legs went out in all directions and calmed only when he saw Kakarot's face. He placed a hand over his chest to calm down. He hated being woken up from a deep sleep. "What do you want!? This is the first time I've rested in days!"

Kakarot licked his lips and held the lantern above their heads. "You're gonna wanna stay up after I tell you this. Rumor has it that there's gold in the river nearby. I was hoping you'd ride up there with me before other folks get there. We can have an honest start with Pops."

Raditz studied his face, knowing how gullible his brother could be. "That's probably all that is, Kakarot. A rumor. Getting gold ain't that easy."

"Look," Kakarot dug deep in his pocket and took out the microscopic nugget. Even in the dark, it shone. Raditz sat up straight as his brother dropped it into his hand. He took a bit for good measure to test its strength. "One of the drink girls gave it to me. It's real. A whole river full of it."

Raditz admired the precious metal in his hand. It would be nice to get his little brother out of the gang and not worry about ever having to return to it. He held onto the gold tightly and grinned. "Can we go right now?"

"That's what I was hoping for!" Kakarot was smiling back. "We'll need to be sure to get a fair share for Vegeta."

Right when he said the name, Raditz could hear Vegeta throwing up somewhere in the distance. "We're just gonna leave him here?"

"Nappa's watching him. He'll bring him and Chi-Chi to us in the morning," Kakarot looked down at her after saying her name. She was snoring lightly. "We should get some for her, too. I hear teachers make less than a dung scrubber."

"Her?" Raditz pointed lazily at the snoring girl and then grabbed his brother's shoulder. "She's a hell of a gambler. She'll be just fine in this life."

"Chi-Chi a gambler?" Kakarot rubbed her hair with the back of his hand. She twitched a little but didn't wake up. "She's just full of surprises."

Through the flickering of the lantern, Raditz could make out red lipstick on his cheek. He whistled lowly, causing Kakarot to look at him. "You better clean that off before she notices."

"Oh, this?" Kakarot pointed at the mark with his finger and frowned. "It ain't like that. The one who did this couldn't hold a candle to Chi-Chi."

Raditz raised an eyebrow at the way he was looking at the sleeping beauty. "Did you fuck her that night you went back to Aces?"

Kakarot bit his lip, wondering if it was going to be alright if he told his brother something personal. Raditz was waiting for an answer. "All I did was kiss her," Kakarot finally sighed. "She told me today she ain't laying down with another man until there's a ring on her finger."

As Raditz got up off the ground, his brother stood up with him. He cleared his throat to make sure he could hear him. "It ain't worth all the pain and misery of marriage just to get some pussy. Get your fix at a brothel like any other cowboy."

"That's not why I would do it," Kakarot frowned at his brother's words. "I've been over the moon since I found her in the back of that stagecoach."

"Four days ago? Really, Kakarot? Really?"

"It ain't like it matters anyway," the younger one removed his hat to fan himself briefly. Tonight was more humid than normal. Rain would be coming soon. "She doesn't trust me enough to feel the same. All I can do is treat her the way Pops did Ma and wait."

Raditz shook his head but had a small smile on his face. He draped an arm over Kakarot's shoulder and pulled him in close. "Brother, sometimes I think the only tough thing about you is your gun. Let's get a move on before the rain falls."

* * *

Waking up alone for the first time since she'd been taken was unsettling.

Chi-Chi pushed herself up off her father's blanket and looked around. The cards and the men who played them with her were nowhere to be seen. There was only Nappa, the stagecoach, and only two of the horses a few feet away.

Had Kakarot not come back after his walk with the devil?

"Nappa!" she called out as she got to her feet and held the blanket close to her chest. "Where's Kakarot?"

The Saiyan covered his shiny head with his gray hat after double checking all the saddlebags. He turned around to find Chi-Chi already behind him. "He headed on down to a river with Raditz earlier this morning. A gal he was with last night told him about gold so they wanted to see for themselves before others rode out. We'll be meeting 'em soon."

_A gal?_

Why did that make her stomach churn?

"Oh," her voice was clearly disappointed. He hadn't even tried to wake her up before he left. "I thought he would've said something."

Nappa shrugged his large shoulders, unsure of why she cared so much what Kakarot did. "Ask him yourself. It's time to get a move on."

When she got inside the stagecoach, she folded up her dad's blanket and put it down beside her. She rubbed her fingers against it absentmindedly, wondering if Kakarot had a sudden change of heart after talking with-

The side door opened up, letting in an even brighter light.

 _Vegeta_.

Chi-Chi froze as the leader of the Saiyans shut the door behind him, sealing them in together. There was something off about the way he moved and appeared. His shirt was half tucked in, half out and one sleeve was rolled up. His belt was undone and he walked with a limp. She had never seen him this disheveled before. When he sat down, it took him a while to even notice she was there. He was rolling his head around and rubbing his temples. When he opened his eyes, he growled lowly at the woman staring back at him.

"You look like you're about to have a hissy fit."

"Nappa!" Chi-Chi whined and brought herself closer to the back of the man's head. "Stop the ride! I'm sitting up there with you!"

"I'm on strict orders to keep moving," Nappa then lowered his voice to a whisper that only Chi-Chi could hear. "Don't worry about Vegeta. He's harmless when he's hungover."

Vegeta settled his bloodshot eyes on her when she sat back down. That cruel and unkind smirk on his face would never fully be etched out of her memory. "You want to put that mouth to better use than bitching all the time?"

Chi-Chi could feel the cold steel of the knife she and Raditz used against her leg. All she needed to do was lift her hand under her skirt and pull it out. She had to be faster than Vegeta was drawing his gun. From where she sat, she could smell his breath after going on a bender last night. He most likely didn't have the stamina to react quickly, giving her the advantage.

When she started to lift up her skirt by the hem, Vegeta scrunched his nose. "I'm not talking about fucking, you wagtail. Kakarot said you're something of a poet. Is that true?"

Chi-Chi slowly released her skirt before the weapon could be revealed. With one raised eyebrow, she exhaled while looking into the eyes of the murderer. "I already told you I could read and write and you slapped me across the face, remember? Why are you interrogating me now?"

Vegeta was leaning back now, a smug look on him as if he were proud of his actions. "As I recall, you raised your voice to me. I'd say I treated you quite fairly."

That did it.

Seeing red, Chi-Chi pulled the knife from her garter and lunged forward. Vegeta's expression switched from arrogant, to surprised, to just enraged. He grabbed her wrist tightly before it could plunge into his throat. She cried out in pain when he twisted it, causing the knife to fall to the floor. Unable to fight back against his strength that was heightened when angered, she was thrown down as well. He sat down on her hips, trapping her under him.

Hearing the cries, Nappa looked over his shoulder and forced the horses to stop. "Vegeta! What the hell are you doing!?"

With one hand on her neck and one on his gun, Vegeta's bloodshot eyes flickered up to him. His voice had turned the switch to a cold, dangerous level that made his long time companion feel like a victim. "Care to explain why she had your knife?"


	5. Dead or Alive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chi-Chi is forced to spend time with her enemy, while Kakarot heads off to search for gold. Little did they know, they are both about to find themselves in hot water...

Vegeta repeated his words again with clenched teeth. "I said, why did she have your knife?"

Nappa gulped. The last time he saw his boss this mad, the poor bastard who did it ended up hacked into pieces. He opened his mouth to explain himself, but the strangled voice of the girl below stopped him.

"I took it without him knowing," Chi-Chi managed to get out despite Vegeta's hand tightening on her neck. "He had nothing to do with it."

Releasing a loud growl, Vegeta got up and lifted Chi-Chi along with him. With his arm wrapped tightly around her neck, he kicked the side door open and shoved her onto the ground. Nappa had gotten out a little too late and couldn't catch her in time. Her back landed harshly on the grass and she might've cracked her skull if she didn't lift her head up in time.

"Come on, Vegeta. Let her go," Nappa spoke with desperation. It wasn't often he tried to stop the Saiyan from doing what he pleased, but this wasn't right. "You're not in the right state of mind. You got that crazed look in your eyes."

His head swung up from Chi-Chi to his father's number one ride agent. One of his bloodshot eyes was twitching madly. "I'll shoot you dead where you stand. Mind your fucking business."

Nappa wanted to argue, but closed his mouth and turned his back. Just because he couldn't prevent it, he still didn't want to see the poor thing killed.

Seeing that Nappa finally smartened up, Vegeta pointed his gun at Chi-Chi. She was propped up on her elbows, trying and failing at using them to back away.

"This should've been done from the start."

The sound the gun made when he cocked it made Chi-Chi go cold. There was only one thing she could say and it would either end or save her life. She had no other choice.

"This is precisely the reason why Bulma doesn't want to have your child!"

The air in the plains had turned heavy. Right when she said it, a thundercloud shook the sky. Small droplets of water touched Nappa's nose when he turned around. He wanted to see Vegeta's face.

The droplets turned into full rain. The leader's eyes turned darker than the clouds and he was rooted where he stood, unable to move. He was transfixed on her mouth where the words came from.

"What did you just say?"

Chi-Chi couldn't be scared now. She didn't even blink when water was getting into her eyes. Her voice was shaky, yet loud. "Bulma told me she didn't want your baby because she's afraid of what you'll do if they ever messed up. Or you'd end up in jail or shot dead and she'd be left alone. Seeing the monster in front of me right now, I'd say she's not wrong," Chi-Chi's throat was hurting and her voice lowered slightly. "So go ahead and kill me like you did my dad. Just know you're proving a lot of people right."

Even with the rain cooling the weather down, Vegeta's eyes were scorching her. The ridges of his neck became dangerously pronounced. Right when she thought he was going to pull the trigger, he turned around and slammed both the gun and his fist into the stagecoach. The deep roar from his throat while he did it caused both Nappa and Chi-Chi to jump.

He paced back and forth for a while breathing heavily. Then he stomped towards Chi-Chi. With his nostrils flaring and his voice staggering in its venom, Vegeta crouched down so he was inches from her face.

"You just shut the fuck up right now. The only reason I was gonna shoot you is that you pulled a knife on me. Don't go blaming me for what you caused."

"Don't go…" Chi-Chi blinked and then scowled. She sat up and shoved his shoulders. "You miserable bastard! I wouldn't even be here if you didn't rob me and murder my father!"

They both stood toe to toe. Vegeta's breath was ragged and thin, while Chi-Chi's fists were clenched and ready for a fight if he wanted one. Nappa was just gawking from a safe distance.

The rain was unforgiving as it continued to pour down. Vegeta wanted nothing more than to rid her for good but two issues were preventing him. Kakarot would want revenge and his world was spinning around him. Despite the cool water drenching their skin, Vegeta was sweating. Chi-Chi relaxed her fists and face when she noticed his usual tan skin was turning pale.

"Are you…" she wasn't sure why she cared enough to ask, but his sudden shift from ferocious to sickly was a cause for concern. "Okay?"

Vegeta took only one step back for his innards to feel like they were being replaced by some sort of black hole. Nausea struck him from his sides to his head, and then he fell to the muddy ground unconscious. His gun landed a few inches away from his body.

Chi-Chi looked to Nappa with wide eyes, who was already running over to them. "What happened?!"

"All that booze in his system and no water leads to dehydration," Nappa picked up the short man and threw him over his shoulder like he was nothing. "Grab his colt and keep it on you in case he turns crazy again. We're headed back to town."

Chi-Chi was surprised he'd even ask her. "You sure you want me to take it?"

"You plan on shooting me?"

"You haven't given me a reason to."

"Guess it's alright then."

Chi-Chi bent down to get the gun and then placed it in between her chest. She followed the Saiyans back to her stagecoach. Nappa laid Vegeta out on the floor and gave Chi-Chi a glass bottle of water.

"Pour some on this to put on his head," he handed her a rag. "And give him the rest to drink once he wakes up."

Chi-Chi stared at the items given to her and then at the unconscious Vegeta. "Can't we just leave him like that?"

Nappa's voice took on a serious tone as he glared down at the girl. "No matter what he says or does, Vegeta's like a son to me. I made his father a promise many moons ago and I plan on keeping it. Swallow your hatred for a few minutes and you'll never need to do anything for him ever again."

After a moment, Chi-Chi sighed and nodded her head. "Alright, but I'm not praying for a miracle."

She crawled inside while Nappa headed to the front. Once she felt them moving, Chi-Chi grumbled and placed Vegeta's head on her lap. His wet hair soaked her skirt. When he was quiet and helpless like this, he seemed so innocent. Per her instructions, she wet the cold rag and kept it on his forehead. Once she moved it to the back of his neck, she noticed the hands on his sides beginning to twitch.

"How's it going back there?"

"I think he's coming to."

Vegeta's eyes opened slowly, but barely. He rolled them upward to see who was taking care of him. Chi-Chi lifted his head up slightly and placed the bottle against his opened mouth. She stopped every little sip to ask him, "Ready for more?" Even though she hated his guts, she was being gentle with each touch. She was an awful lot like Kakarot.

The only other person that treated him like this was his own woman. He wasn't sure whether it was the dehydration or what Chi-Chi told him. Laying there on the floor of the stagecoach, Vegeta decided he was going to find a way to tell Bulma what she meant to him. As Chi-Chi hummed to herself, Vegeta could feel himself drifting off to sleep.

* * *

"Looks like someone's already here…"

Kakarot frowned as they approached the stream. There were three horses posted up near a tree, munching on grass. Their owners weren't anywhere in sight.

"Who cares," Raditz had hopped off his horse and taking his shoes off. "They're probably further down the stream. Let's get our share before it's too late."

Kakarot sighed and copied his brother. He rolled up his pant legs and his sleeves. They needed to get as much as they could before the rainstorm started. When they got to the bank, Raditz growled lowly at the sight of a woman bent down in the water with a plate. She was scooping out small rocks and cursing before throwing it all back in.

"Would you look at that," the older brother licked his lips. "A blonde."

"Leave her alone. You saw all those horses. She probably goes with someone else. Remember what happened last time you laid with a married woman?"

Raditz rolled his eyes. Kakarot could be no fun sometimes. He ignored him and stepped into the water, his cold feet splashing as he walked towards the stranger. "Find anything good, sweetheart?"

The woman glared up at him with bared teeth. "Who the hell you calling sweetheart, you ragbag!?"

Ooh, a feisty one. Raditz went down to her level and dug a hand under the water. He searched the pile in his hand, not seeing a speck of yellow. "Did you and your little friends already take everything?"

The blonde smirked at the cowboy's boldness. "We've been out here all night and morning and haven't found shit."

Raditz chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "Well gorgeous, I don't think you'd tell me the truth if you did."

Kakarot was still standing outside the stream, disbelieving his brother was really laying on the charm. Not to mention, it was working. The woman was moving closer to him with each word he spoke.

"You're about a day late, friend. The broncos cleared the place out."

The Saiyan turned around to see a ranger standing there. Kakarot squinted his eyes, knowing that he'd seen this man before but not knowing from where. "Is that so?"

"Sorry," the man removed his hat to run his hand through his straight black hair. "Damn humidity. If I were you, I'd try further up the stream toward Numbcross. That's where we're headed once my sister's husband finishes his business at Rose's."

_Geez, Rose's sure is popular._

Watching as Raditz found nothing between his flirting and searching, Kakarot had a feeling the man was being truthful. Numbcross was on the way to Devil's Pass, anyway. It was just annoying having to separate all the time.

"Really, Launch?" he called out. "I'm not being put in the middle of this again!"

Kakarot looked up from his boots to see the blonde woman giving them the middle finger as she took Raditz's hand. She dragged him through the stream and he gave his brother a thumbs up as they disappeared behind the bushes. The younger Saiyan covered his face in embarrassment. "I do apologize," he sighed. "My brother likes to get his way."

As moans of pleasure were louder than necessary due to the quiet scenery, the man turned red right along with him. "So does Launch. I don't even know why she's with Tien."

_Tien?_

Kakarot gulped loudly, finally realizing who this person was. He was the sheriff's brother in law, Lapis. He was there that day many moons ago at Aces when Krillin and his wife got married and the Saiyans were laughing in the corner. Everyone knew Tien. Tien was Krillin's second in command. And... Raditz was currently messing around with Tien's girl.

Shit.

"Tien, huh?" Kakarot laughed a little too loudly and began backing away slowly from Lapis. "Will you give me a second?"

He ran through the stream to where the noises of sex were coming from. Not wanting to see his brother in action, he whispered loudly through the bushes. "Raditz! Raaaaaditz!"

Somehow, his brother's whispers were louder than the moan's coming from the gorgeous woman's lips. Her breasts were bouncing up and down as his hips thrust into her. The first time in a month he was able to get some action, and his brother was being a little cock blocker. Continuing to ignore him, he bit her nipple to get her to scream louder.

Well, she certainly did. Her fingers dug into her shoulders as he increased her speed. But that annoying sound was getting on her last nerve. "FUCK OFF, KID! HE'S A GROWN MAN!"

Kakarot dragged a hand down his face. He looked through his fingers to see Tien had ended up joining Lapis. Tien was beginning to get angry, and Kakarot had no choice. He closed his eyes tightly and jumped through the bushes.

"FOR CRYING OUT LOUD RADITZ! YOU'RE FUCKING THE COMMANDER'S WIFE!"

"Shit!"

Raditz muttered an apology before pushing Launch off him. He zipped up his pants the best he could against the throbbing and followed Kakarot to the stream. Tien and Lapis were already in the middle of it. The ranger's eyebrows were scrunched together as he looked directly at the younger brother.

"Is your name Kakarot?"

"...Yes?"

"You fucking idiot!" Raditz seethed.

"Well Kakarot," Lapis's voice dropped to a dangerous level and he was reaching for his holster. "You're a wanted man."

"Uh..." he blinked. He didn't want to kill either one of them, so he exchanged a nod with Raditz. They punched the two men in the face to stun them and then ran to their horses. Tien and Lapis were already standing up and getting on their own.

As they made their way away from the stream and the sound of guns rounding off in the air, the brothers could see a familiar face riding towards them. There were two others missing.

"Nappa!?" Kakarot yelled. "Where's Chi-Chi and Vegeta!?"

The bald one thought they were going to stop, but they kept riding past him. He turned his horse around sharply to follow. "They're at Rose's," the next question he heard was answered by gunshots and a cloud of dust coming up from behind. "What the fuck did you guys do!?"

"Shit, we could really use Vegeta right now!" Raditz looked at Kakarot. "We're gonna have a shoot-out. There's no other way."

Once Kakarot stopped his horse, the other Saiyans copied. With Vegeta out of commission, they trusted him for guidance. He looked towards the group that wanted their hides and could feel his trigger finger beginning to tremble. Despite how often he tried to avoid it, it always seemed to end this way. "So be it."

* * *

The first thing Vegeta noticed was how great his back felt. It had been a while since he slept in a bed. However the hell he ended up in one, who knows. It wasn't until he tried turning over onto his side that he felt the tightness on his wrists. When he popped his eyes open, he saw his gun pointed straight at him. It was that _fucking_ woman, with her hands on _his_ colt!

"You've got some nerve, jezebel!"

Chi-Chi kept the gun pointed steadily as he struggled to move against the restraints. She was thankful that Nappa helped her with tying his wrists to the headboard or he may have broken free by now. "Had to make sure you weren't still off your rocker."

Vegeta stopped moving to glare at her. He recognized the pattern of the walls behind her instantly. They were in one of the rooms of Rose's. "Where's Nappa?"

"He left to tell Kakarot and Raditz where we were. He thought you'd need a few days to recuperate and didn't want them worrying."

His eyebrows scrunched together. "Why the fuck are _you_ here?"

"Nappa wanted me to keep an eye on you," Chi-Chi blew some air out of her mouth and leaned back into the wooden chair she was sitting in. "Just to be sure you weren't crazy, as I mentioned earlier. Trust me, it wasn't my choice." It really wasn't. She begged Nappa to be the one to go find Kakarot, but with her lack of knowledge of the trails, she might have ended up dead. Now here she was, stuck with the one man she hated the most.

She _could_ shoot him. She _should_ shoot him.

Something deep inside was telling her it wasn't right. Not like this. Not this easy, like shooting fish in a barrel.

Chi-Chi wondered if Vegeta was thinking the same. He had grown quiet realizing Nappa was gone and was going to be gone for hours. Without his gang, his fists, and his gun, he was rendered helpless. Whether or not she had fired a gun in her life, he didn't really want to risk rubbing her the wrong way.

"Got any water?"

The woman sighed and stood up to bring him the glass. She kept herself at a safe distance from his legs as she bent down near his head. He opened his mouth and swallowed all of it. "Need any more?"

"No."

"Good," Chi-Chi placed the glass on the desk beside him and returned to her chair. Her clothing was still muddy and wet, but when she looked inside the closet there was only men's clothing left behind. Her dresses were still in the stagecoach outside and she didn't feel like entering the storm again. All that she could remove from herself was the gray scarf she bought with Kakarot.

As she took it off, Vegeta felt panic rush through him. There were bruises on her neck from when he grabbed her. "Put that back on!"

Chi-Chi raised her eyebrow at his sudden shift in tone. She was going to ask him why, but the mirror in the corner answered that question for her. It hurt like the dickens when Vegeta choked her, but now staring at the red and purple marks taking over her skin she hadn't realized it was _that_ bad. "Look at what you did," she spoke absentmindedly while rubbing the sore spot then winced. "Why should I show mercy on someone like you?"

She shot her cold eyes on the Saiyan, who in return looked away. The sweat on his forehead let her know he was guilty, or scared, or both. Vegeta possibly having the capacity to show any of those emotions would've made her laugh another time.

"Oh, not running your mouth now that you can't fight back?"

It didn't bother Vegeta a single bit he did that to her. She deserved it for trying to shank him. He was more concerned about what a certain member of his gang would do when he caught sight of it. If that woman knew exactly what Kakarot was capable of when pissed off, she would run for the hills. He breathed out slowly and looked in her direction, noticing she had put the scarf back on after all.

"Listen, bi-...wom-...Chi-Chi," he shuddered as he said her name like it hurt to say. The shock of hearing it caused Chi-Chi to lower the gun. "Before you attempted to impale me, I swear to you my intentions weren't malicious. Kakarot told me you'd be able to help me with a situation of mine. Everything I did after was self-defense, including that neck of yours."

Chi-Chi sat back down slowly. The way he was speaking so eloquently made her suspicious. From what she gathered during their few days together, he could be manipulative. "Your situation with Bulma?"

His eye twitched, but he maintained a calm voice. He wanted to shoot her for even knowing anything. "Yes. I want to send her a letter back but I'm not entirely sure how to put it into words that won't piss her off more."

There was something that was bothering Chi-Chi, and it wasn't his sudden plea for help. "How come it's all fine and dandy for Bulma to be able to read and write, but when it comes to other women claiming to be able to you can't accept it?" She knew the reason. He was the type that wanted the very best, and it was a shot in the ego knowing there were others who could do the same. She still wanted to hear his explanation.

Vegeta's lips twitched now. He didn't like her interrogating him in the slightest, and absolutely loathed hearing his woman's name come from her of all people. She had no business knowing this much about them. Fuck the gun in her hand. She was in dangerous territory now.

"I thought you were a prostitute when I saw you."

The smirk on his face caused Chi-Chi to tighten her grip on the gun. One minute he's kissing her ass, the next he's insulting her. What was his goal here? To show he still had the upper hand somehow? "And what would give you that impression?" she spoke through clenched teeth when he chuckled darkly.

"I'm just messing with you wo-...Chi-Chi. Kakarot would've never taken you if he knew you were a soiled dove. He likes 'em fresh and pure," Vegeta enjoyed the way she squirmed in her chair. He couldn't use his hands but at least he could toy with her mind. "Your cowboy's stolen a lot of hearts and put bullets through even more. I bet he never told you that, did he?"

She stood up abruptly, not wanting to hear anything else from his mouth. She double-checked to make sure the safety was on before placing it in between her chest. "Shut up and go to sleep," she muttered and walked to the door. "I'm going downstairs for a while."

As she slammed the door behind her, she heard him shout something about getting him something to eat. Flustered and hot, she went down the stairs as quickly as she could to get away from the bastard. She ignored the whistles and stares given to her by a few lonely strangers as she sat down at the bar. She wasn't going to go overboard like last time, but she needed a drink badly.

A small shot of whiskey was slid down to her from the bartender, and she raised it as a 'thank you' before downing it.

_You had so many chances to kill him._

She dropped her head down onto the counter, resting it in her arms. She knew it was her fear of being damned for eternity for taking the life of another, even if that life belonged to a vile man. There was a chance she could be forgiven due to the circumstances, but it was still risky.

"I told you you should've stayed behind, sweetheart. We're going to end up having the baby on the road at this point."

"And I told you I'm not letting you out of my sight after last time."

Chi-Chi picked her head to see a lovely blonde haired woman and a short bald man arguing quietly a few seats down. The woman's belly was large and low, a sign that she was in the final stages of her pregnancy. Thankfully, she wasn't drinking any liquor. The man was saying something else to her, but she wasn't listening. She caught Chi-Chi eavesdropping, and then she looked away embarrassed.

"Hey," the woman called out. "Your scarf is cute. Where'd you get it?"

"Oh," Chi-Chi smiled and felt her redness disappearing. "Thank you. I think the town was called Coyote Alley?"

"Coyote Alley, huh?" the man now looked at Chi-Chi as well after placing his glass down. "We were just there."

Chi-Chi shrugged her shoulders and moved a little closer to the couple. She missed having regular conversations with regular people. "Must have passed by the store it was in. It wasn't as flashy as others. What're you hoping for?"

The woman looked down at her stomach and placed a hand on it. "A healthy baby," she laughed and nudged her husband with her other hand. "But I've been wishing for a girl."

"Just what I need," the man laughed as well and bent his head down to kiss her growing belly. "Another one of her bossing me around. If you were expecting, what would you want?"

Chi-Chi had talked to Kakarot about the want of children, but never the gender. It didn't even take her a second to blurt out, "A boy. Raise him how a man should be."

"I know that's right," the woman winked and stuck her hand out. "I'm Lazuli and this is Krillin."

"Chi-Chi," she shook Lazuli's hand and nodded at Krillin. "Nice to meet you both."

As the two women began talking about their childhoods in the north, Krillin couldn't help but feel like he met Chi-Chi before. But where... Her face was _so_ familiar. Was she one of Lapis' flings? No...

Shadow Mountain?

No..

Where was it, where was it...

His wife's tight grip on his arm caused him to lose his train of thought. He knew that look. She had to use the latrine and needed his assistance. They said their goodbyes to Chi-Chi and left money on the counter for his drink. As Chi-Chi watched them walk away, she looked down at the countertop. In addition to the money, they had left behind a stack of papers with images that made her curious.

She lifted one up from the pile and studied it.

_**Wanted** _

_**Dead or Alive** _

_**Vegeta of the Saiyans** _

_**Stagecoach Robber** _

_**$5,000 reward** _

_**Notify Sheriff Krillin** _

The image of the leader of the gang was illustrated on the paper, flame hair and scowl down to a T. A wicked idea ran through her mind as she found a quick way she could make $5,000. The one they were after was tied up in a bedroom upstairs...

"Hm?"

She was about to place the poster on top of the pile when she noticed there was a paper with a different image on it.

_**Wanted** _

_**Dead or Alive** _

_**The Fastest Gun in the West and His Mystery Gal** _

_**Shot Dealer Dead at Aces Saloon** _

_**$10,000 reward** _

_**Notify Sheriff Krillin** _

* * *

Vegeta was about to fall asleep again when the door swung open and shut even harsher. He raised an eyebrow as Chi-Chi approached him breathless and looking wilder than ever. "You wet your whistle down there or something?"

She shoved the poster in front of his face and spoke with fear in her voice. "Mind telling me what the hell this is about!? We never killed anybody!"

It took a while for Vegeta to read the words with her hand shaking so badly, but then laughed cruelly when he saw the illustration of her next to Kakarot. " _You_ didn't, but he did. Someone must have caught you two riding off together after it happened."

Chi-Chi dropped to her knees and held her face in her hands. This couldn't possibly be happening. Who in the hell would want her to teach their children after seeing her on a wanted poster!? Never in a million years would she thought she'd see her face on one of these. To make it worse, the outlaw who brought her into this entire mess thought it was hilarious. "Shut up, Vegeta!" she snapped suddenly and glared up at him with tears in her eyes. "They had you on a poster, too!"

Vegeta closed his mouth and tilted his head. "They?"

"The sheriff! He's downstairs right now!"

"Shit!" Vegeta once again tried to remove himself from the headboard but couldn't. "What the _fuck_? Did he see you?"

"I sat right next to him and his wife!" Chi-Chi cried out hysterically and brought her knees to her chest. "If he didn't recognize me then, he sure as hell will soon! What should I do!? I've never been a criminal before!"

Vegeta's chest was moving up and down unsteadily as he kept looking between her and the door. He'd been in this situation before but never tied down and gunless. "Alright, listen to me. Get me out of these ropes and we'll make a break for it through the win-... Where the hell are you going!?"

Chi-Chi was in the closet removing the men's clothing she had seen earlier. She moved out of Vegeta's line of vision and changed as rapidly as she could. The pants were still a little loose even after tightening the belt through its last loop, but it was going to have to do. The shirt wasn't tight enough to reveal her chest, but she put the vest over it for safe measure. She tucked her hair inside the cowboy hat left behind the best she could and put her muddy boots back on. Lastly, she placed Vegeta's gun into her pocket.

Now back in his sight, Vegeta shook his head. "You think looking like a man is going to get you out of here safe? Get me the fuck out of here!"

Chi-Chi held onto her belt loops and stood tall. "Well partner," she spoke in the best deep voice she could. "I reckon you're smart enough to figure it out."

Vegeta's eyes widened as she placed her hand on the doorknob. That crazy bitch was going to leave him! "Bit-...wom-...CHI-CHI!" he roared. "YOU NEED ME!"

Chi-Chi was nice enough to lock the door behind her so he had some time to escape if that was even possible. She could hear him cursing up a storm as she paced down the hall. As she headed down the stairs, she bumped into someone. She felt her heart sink when the voice apologized.

"Sorry, sir. Didn't see you there."

"Quite alright," she grumbled back and continued on her way, thankful that he was too distracted to look at her face.

Krillin looked over his shoulder to see that the man in black was gone, and shrugged his shoulders. The concierge downstairs had told him that he saw Vegeta check into one of the rooms. He was being carried by one of his men, and even stranger was that girl who was in cahoots with Kakarot was with them as well. Krillin was about to kill two birds with one stone, especially after being given the spare key.

He stopped in front of room 9 and pounded on the door.

"I could hear you a town away, Vegeta. It's over. I'm giving you until the count of three to surrender yourself before I start blasting."

When he didn't hear anything in response, Krillin took a deep breath and unlocked the door. He cocked his gun before opening it, and waited for bullets to fly. When there was nothing, he jumped in with his gun pointed. All he saw was an empty bed, broken headboard, and open window.

* * *

"Damn it," Chi-Chi muttered as her hand left the saddlebag. Nappa took all the money with him, and for good reason. There was no way the one horse he left behind would carry the stagecoach. She couldn't risk staying here or having Kakarot arrive knowing he's now wanted as well. She had to meet him halfway.

When she stuck her hand inside her pocket - a luxury she never knew she was missing out on - she could feel the cold metal of Vegeta's gun. Maybe one of the merchants would take it for cash or she could use it as a bargaining chip.

Keeping her head low, Chi-Chi stepped through the mud with long strides like she'd seen Kakarot do a few times before. If she was getting funny looks, she wouldn't know.

She glanced up briefly when she heard neighing. A gorgeous white horse was swatting a flies away with its tail and looking at her with the sweetest eyes. She reached a hand up to rub its mane.

"Two hunnid 'n she's yours."

Chi-Chi pulled her scarf up just enough to cover her nose before looking at the seller. She coughed a few times to get her voice deep enough. "Howdy, buckaroo. This is a mighty fine horse you have here, but I haven't got a dime to give ya. I'd like to trade."

The large man hocked up on the ground near her boots, and she was thankful her scarf was covering her disgusted face. "Must be a pretty got-danged good find to trade for Belle. Whatcha got?"

She removed the gun from her pocket and stuck it out for the man to view. She had zero knowledge of guns but she had to sell it somehow. "This right here friend is a piece of history. You ever heard of the Saiyans?"

The man gasped as if he were their biggest fan. "You'd be a fool not to have heard 'bout the Saiyans! They were 'round back when my daddy was jus'ta tyke. You know they're hangin' ol' Bardock up at Devil's Pass for what he did to that poor sheriff? You know what's funny 'bout Devil's Pass, the warden is named Hercule Satan. Satan! Like Devil!"

Chi-Chi nodded her head, not particularly interested in the history of the Saiyans or what Kakarot's father was up to. She had problems of her own that needed to be solved. "This gun right here belongs to the roughest, toughest of 'em all. Vegeta."

"Vegeta!? You see his gun and you're dead," the man raised an eyebrow and rubbed his chin. "How'd you end up with it?"

She held her hand to her heart and bowed her head. "I was a victim of his stagecoach robbery and lived. The sonuvabitch left it behind as a reminder I guess. I ain't too fond of painful memorabilia, but a fine man such as yourself may see the value."

It took the seller a good while, but there was something about the man in black he trusted. "You got yourself a deal, pal!"

The trade took place and Chi-Chi hurried her new horse over to the stagecoach. As she attached Belle just the way her father taught her years ago, she felt an eerie presence nearby. Looking to her left, she saw an interesting site. A man wearing a tattered poncho was stalking towards her. His wrists had broken ropes attached to them, and he somehow was able to fit all that hair inside a hat. A cigarette was hanging out the side of his mouth.

Chi-Chi sat down in the front and held back laughter as Vegeta slid beside her. She was looking him up and down. "Out of all the things you could've stolen, that's what you settled with?"

He blew cigarette smoke in her face. "Give me back my gun."

"I sold it for the horse."

"WHAT!?" the cigarette dropped from his mouth to Chi-Chi's feet. She stomped out the flame before it could do any damage. "Are you that dense!? How the fuck do you expect us to survive on that wild trail without any ammunition?"

Chi-Chi shrugged and got the horses to start moving. Truthfully, she didn't even know where she was headed and that was the only reason she was fine with Vegeta being here. "You're a self-proclaimed tough man. I'm sure you can handle it. You'll get a taste of your own medicine."

Vegeta leaned all the way against the side so he could take a good look at her. "Don't act so high and mighty. You're an outlaw, now. Just like me."

"I am _not_ like you," Chi-Chi spoke sharply, offended that he'd even compare them. "Do me a favor and don't talk to me ever again."

"Fine."

"Good!"

Vegeta looked at her with one eye as she came to a stop outside the town, unsure of where to go. Chi-Chi could feel him staring, but remained quiet. It was a battle of who would swallow their pride first.

"I think it's a good idea to head towards the left," Chi-Chi still wasn't making eye contact. "I'm talking to the horses, not you."

Vegeta snorted. "Tell the horses I think you should go right."

Damn it. Of course, she had to be wrong. Chi-Chi steered the horses to the right. After another round of silence, she spoke again. "I really like these clothes. I never knew pockets were so convenient."

The Saiyan was resting with his arms behind his head. "Well-"

"I wasn't talking to you."

"You're a fucking nutcase."


	6. Wicked Past Unfolded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakarot's actions take a heavy toll on his mind and soul, while Chi-Chi grows to understand the cruelties behind a dream of the west. Can they survive the months ahead?

With Launch still back at the river, Tien and Lapis were the only ones standing in front of the Saiyans. The unspoken rules of a shoot-out needed to have two sides be equal. Nappa stepped outside of the line of fire, knowing that he'd step in if one of his men went down. Tien glared across him at Raditz, who was smirking in return. He was silently bragging about fucking his wife in a bush.

Kakarot and Lapis were eyeing one another, both of their fingers strumming on their sides. The man with the straight black hair was the first to speak. "This can only end one way."

Kakarot didn't want it to be this way. He never did. It was like he was cursed. "I don't want to kill you, friend. Your sister was always kind when she worked at Aces. Let's just let bygones be bygones. I ain't looking for trouble anymore. I'm headed back west and never returning. That's why I came for the gold."

Lapis raised an eyebrow. Thunder was shaking the sky and raindrops were falling. The storm was here. "I don't trust a soul of any of you Saiyans. There are too many bloodstains on your hands. If you don't want to draw, surrender yourself now."

"I can't rot in jail, sir. I've got somewhere to be."

"Don't we all," Tien scowled. "They're not worth the air they breathe, Lapis. Their bodies belong six feet under with the rest of them. On the count of three, we draw."

Kakarot looked at Raditz, who nodded. Nappa began counting down. Once he got to three, the sound of the bullets firing off was making the horses stir up. Nappa closed his eyes and held onto the ropes of theirs while Tien's and Lapis' ran off. When the noise ceased, he looked to see that the brothers were left standing.

Raditz blew the top of his barrel as if it were burning and turned to face his brother, who was staring wordlessly at the body of Lapis. Both him and Tien were staining the grass underneath them the reddest color that Kakarot had ever seen. "I think that was your personal best!" Raditz laughed cruelly and punched him in the shoulder. "What do you think Nappa?"

"I wouldn't know! I blinked for one second and it was over!"

As the two were conversating, Kakarot just couldn't look away from Lapis. The way he was lying face down was the same position he found his mom in. The Saiyan's hands grew cold and clammy. As the rain poured down on the bodies, his eyes were growing wild with terror at the memory. He had just done what took his mom's life to another.

A sound had caused him to jump. Tien, breathing heavily and moaning from the blood loss, was reaching his hand up to shoot the unsuspecting Raditz in the back. Fighting through his internal pain, Kakarot pointed his big iron at the commander with a shaking hand. He shot him in the head. The hair on the back of Kakarot's neck stood up when the commander managed to crawl close enough to place a hand weakly on his boot.

When Tien had finally stopped moving, Kakarot dropped his gun to the ground. A bloody handprint was left on his boot. The commander had died with his eyes wide open, staring right at him. Kakarot could feel nausea spreading through him like a prairie fire until he couldn't stand it anymore. He kicked Tien's hand off him and turned around. With both hands on his knees, he began vomiting. Nappa looked to Raditz, who was cursing under his breath quietly.

"You think this is going to be as bad as last time?" the older Saiyan asked, and Raditz sighed.

"It might be worse," he walked over to where his brother was throwing up and placed a hand on his back. Even drenched from the rain, he felt hot to the touch. Raditz's hand was shaking from Kakarot's movements. "You did what you had to do. Come on. We have to go."

When there was nothing left inside of him, Kakarot sat up straight and removed what was left on his mouth with the back of his hand. He turned towards his older brother, who raised an eyebrow at his expression. Kakarot was glaring at him like he was the one who tried to kill him.

"You son of a bitch!" he cried out and sent a fist towards his face. Raditz blocked it with his palm and held it there. "It's all your fault! If you weren't being selfish, we could've got the gold upstream and left!"

Raditz kept his voice calm while holding onto his brother's fist. Nappa's eyes were in the direction of the town, on the lookout. He had been a bystander for two different arguments on the very same day. "The commander would've recognized you and wanted your head no matter what. You need to calm down."

There was resentment festered inside of the youngest Saiyan over the years. It was for his brother for roping him in, and his father that started it all. What seemed like family was bringing him closer to the type of person he was afraid of as a child. His other fist balled up tightly and went for his brother's chest. It made contact, but Raditz stood tall. He even released Kakarot's other hand.

"I never wanted this!" Kakarot yelled through blurred vision. He began punching his brother's chest repeatedly. Raditz was being pushed further away, but he didn't fight back. "Ma never wanted this! If she was alive she would hate me!"

The words stung more than the punches. When Kakarot went in for another, Raditz bundled him up into a tight hug to trap him in. He didn't care that Nappa was now watching. "Don't say stupid shit like that," he whispered as his brother cried into his shoulder. "We got dealt a bad hand and have to deal with it. She never hated Pops for all the wicked things he'd done and she wouldn't hate you."

When his breathing had settled down, Raditz pushed him back to look at him. He wasn't making eye contact, but at least he wasn't weeping anymore. Nappa cleared his throat to gain their attention.

"We'll need to be on the trail for a few days. Vegeta will know to look once he sees this."

Kakarot looked to Nappa and could feel his chest aching all over. If Chi-Chi didn't hate him already, she definitely was after she saw what he had done. To make it even worse, he ruined their traveling plans. She was never going to be safe with him after killing the sheriff's man. It was a crime worthy of a hanging.

"Let's go, Kakarot."

Wordless, defeated, and broken all over, Kakarot bent down and stared at his gun a long while before placing it in his holster. It felt heavier than usual, like a burden he didn't want to bear. Knowing he'd never have the life he desired, the young outlaw hung his head while getting on his horse. Raditz glanced at him as they rode side by side, but didn't know what to say.

Kakarot wasn't going to be the same after this.

* * *

With her opportunities to get revenge for killing her father a few miles back, Vegeta lazily looked over at the stagecoach driver. There was no doubt she'd try again when they were in better circumstances, but for now, he could put his guard down. She needed him right now even if she didn't own up to it. Her being an outlaw now didn't give him a reason to kill her, either. Someone would shoot her dead before she could snitch him out.

"I bet you never spent this much time outdoors in your entire life."

Chi-Chi's lip twitched as she kept steady hands on the reins. "Stop assuming just because my family had money means that I didn't even lift my finger. I still worked hard for everything while you spent your life taking from hard workers."

"Yet here we are in the same place. Poetic justice."

She stopped the horses suddenly that Vegeta almost flew off the side of the stagecoach. "I'm here all because of you, bastard! I honestly can't understand why you think otherwise!"

The outlaw swung himself back upright and glared at her. "I wanted you dead. Kakarot was the one who wanted to save your ungrateful ass for whatever reason," another thought crossed his mind as an eyebrow raised upward. "I guess it's what you wanted. Before you saw yourself on that wanted poster, you could've made a run for it. Does he tickle more than your fancy?"

Blushing at his suggestion, Chi-Chi kept her scowl. "Raditz said Sunnybellow was near Devil's Pass so I stayed for convenience. As soon as I'm there, I'm going and never looking back," she got the horses moving again before adding, "Except to watch you die."

"Oh, so that's when you're planning on doing it?" Vegeta was amused. The bitch had moxie. "The end of the hero's journey. You really know your literature."

Chi-Chi frowned. That wanted poster really turned her life upside down. Was Sunnybellow even going to be welcoming after what she was accused of? She couldn't even explain her innocence without the fear of being killed on site.

"Now I have a question for you, ragbag."

"Call me that one more time and I'm going to slit your throat."

Somehow, Vegeta's threats didn't seem as intimidating anymore. She wasn't sure if it was his lack of a gun or the fact he had been only all talk since fainting, but Chi-Chi knew he wasn't going to do anything for the time being. "What exactly happened that night at Aces?"

Finally, something pleasant to talk about. His mind was brought back to that reunion with Bulma. "She was throwing her head back praising me like it was a new religion."

"Not _that_ ," Chi-Chi shuddered. She did remember him disappearing upstairs with her before she started drinking. "That's the last thing I'm trying to picture. I'm talking about what Kakarot did."

"I already told you he shot the dealer and then searched for the boozehound, meaning you."

"But _why_ did he shoot the dealer?" Chi-Chi looked at Vegeta, whose forehead vein was beginning to throb. "Was it because he lost a game or what?"

Vegeta really wished she hadn't crushed his cigarette. All these questions were giving him a headache. "The dealer pulled his gun out to shoot Raditz and Kakarot did what he needed to do. If you're asking me all this to check Kakarot's mental stability, I'll just tell you now he's got some sort of disorder."

Chi-Chi scrunched her eyebrows together. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You have the boring, doe-eyed, disgustingly friendly Kakarot," Vegeta held up one hand and then the other. "And then you have the cold-blooded killer Kakarot who will convert back to the first one and cry about it. I think he was dropped on his head as a baby. Reminds me of you, really."

Chi-Chi was perplexed. Vegeta was either being an asshole or Kakarot did have a wide range of emotions. She had seen glimpses of both but hadn't known him long enough to see it in full detail. She was about to speak when a woman's cry interrupted her and stopped her in her tracks.

"Someone!" the voice screamed. "Help! Anybody!"

Chi-Chi was beginning to steer the horses in the direction of the voice when Vegeta grabbed her wrist tightly. "Don't even think about it," he spoke with venom. "It's either a trap or none of our concern. Keep moving."

"You better let go of me before you leave another mark."

The two were seething at one another before Vegeta growled and let go. The stagecoach went where she directed it and the unlikely duo came across a blonde woman sobbing over two men on the ground. Chi-Chi and the stagecoach were still. There was the stench of copper in the air and the buzzing of flies. The men were dead.

"Hey!" the woman's voice was raspy and pained as she raised a hand up. "Can you fellas help me? My husband and his friend...they-they...I just need to get them back to town."

At the mention of fellas, Chi-Chi remembered how she was dressed. Vegeta's harsh whispers were in her other ear. "Don't you dare. The town's compromised. Wish her well and be on your merry fucking way."

Chi-Chi knew he was right, that helping them would land her in even more hot water. She couldn't just leave, though. Not with that woman looking at her like that. She cleared her throat to make it sound deep. Vegeta cursed under his breath as she got off the stagecoach. "What happened here, ma'am?"

"Some psychos shot 'em up and left 'em here. The yellow bellies took off before I caught up," the woman sniffed. Her blood covered arms were holding onto the bald one. "I pray y'all won't run into them. Two brothers. Radish and some other vegetable name."

_Oh no..._

She had a gut feeling about who did this but didn't want to believe it. She felt responsible somehow, now being attached to their gang. It took her a minute to find her words and get her voice deep enough. "My stable boy and I will help you right away, ma'am."

While she said a thank you, Chi-Chi walked back over to Vegeta. She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. "Kakarot and Raditz did this. They're _your_ men, so you need to help clean up the mess."

"If I had a gun to shoot the woman with it would be over like that," he snapped his fingers as he spoke darkly. "You're playing a dangerous game, girl. Going back to Rose's now is suicide."

"If you have any shot at redemption, you'd do this. Think of your baby."

Vegeta clenched and unclenched his jaw as Chi-Chi turned her back on him. The fucking woman was already bending down to grab one of the men's legs while the blonde was carrying the top half. He closed his eyes as the wagon shook when they placed him inside. He punched the seat and got out.

"Shit..."

The man that still needed to be carried wasn't any ordinary cowboy. It was the commander. The idiots screwed the pooch this time. Vegeta wiped his sweaty hands on his poncho and lifted the large man over his shoulders. When he dropped him onto the floor of the stagecoach, the woman yelled at him.

"Why the fuck are you handling him so roughly!?"

"What? It's not like he's alive."

Chi-Chi and the woman gasped at his nonchalant tone. "You'll have to forgive him, ma'am," Chi-Chi glared. "He's from the backwoods raised with little education. His parents also never held him."

The blonde scowled at Vegeta until he looked away. She glanced at the other man who was much more pleasant. "You know where Rose's is?"

Unfortunately. "Yes ma'am. Is that where we need to bring you?"

"Please."

"Will do," Chi-Chi nodded and elbowed Vegeta as she exited the interior. He followed her to the front with his boots stomping louder than a hailstorm. As the stagecoach started to move, the Saiyan lowered his voice so the stranger in the back couldn't hear.

"They fucked up this time. That bitch's husband is one of Krillin's men."

Chi-Chi groaned out. It was one thing after another. Killing a commander was the same as killing the sheriff himself. "Where do you think they went off to? There's no way they'd head back to town."

"They're going to keep moving upward for a few days to get some distance. Once we ditch the bodies, we'll need to be on the trail for some nights before finding them."

She didn't understand any of this but knew Vegeta was a pro. She was dirty, exhausted, and hungry. It was now too risky for them to stop. "One of us can sleep and the other can ride. We'll keep switching off."

"One problem, genius. Horses need a break too," Vegeta pinched the bridge of his nose while he leaned forward. His elbows were on his knees as his hands down his face. He was beginning to feel the rough stubble growing from not shaving in awhile. "Fuck. I guess you're going to have to learn to live like an outlaw sooner than later."

Chi-Chi wore a permanent frown on her face as they continued through the grassland. What a cruel world this was. A person she thought wasn't as bad as the others might actually be the worst and she was praying to everything it wasn't true.

"Lapis? Lapis!? Can you hear me?"

Chi-Chi and Vegeta shot each other a look at the same time hearing weak, faint groaning coming from behind them. The blonde woman was holding onto his hands as the man's eyes were opening slightly and closing. When she noticed the two in the front were staring, they turned back around quickly. They looked forward at the town in the distance, blinking.

"How the _fuck_ did one survive?"

"Isn't that a good thing?" Chi-Chi whispered back.

"No!"

They came to a sudden stop as there was a group of people at the town's entrance blocking the way to Rose's. Before Chi-Chi could let the woman about the obstacle, the blonde had her head out the door and was shouting.

"HEY! SOMEONE GET KRILLIN AND A DOCTOR! TIEN'S BEEN MURDERED AND LAPIS IS BLEEDING OUT!"

The words caused the crowd to move rapidly, knowing who the screaming lady was and the men she called out. Chi-Chi raised her scarf up to conceal her face while Vegeta looked down. From her peripherals, she saw the pregnant Lazuli and Krillin in the mob. The stagecoach door opened and the cries of Lazuli made Chi-Chi's heartache.

"Stay with me, Lapis. Keep those eyes open," she was speaking through her tears. "My child needs their uncle around."

_Uncle?_

Chi-Chi's heart was completely broken now. The other man was the sweet Lazuli's brother. Krillin cried out Tien's name and Vegeta was beginning to sweat. The lawman was too close for comfort. The two held in their breaths as the bodies were removed. The one named Lapis was rushed to the doctor while Tien was brought to the funeral home. The people who once surrounded the stagecoach were going off in either direction, leaving them wide open again.

"You look like you're about to keel over. I'll take over from here."

Chi-Chi didn't say a word. She just switched places with the Saiyan and they headed back out into the wild. She was staring at her hands that had traces of blood from when she lifted the men earlier. She had a sinking feeling this wasn't going to be the last time she'd see some.

After Krillin made sure his brother in law was situated, he stepped out of the doctor's building and looked for the men who rode the stagecoach. They were already leaving town. Launch was sitting down in a chair near him, using a shaky hand to smoke a cigarette. All he wanted to do was break down over the loss of his best friend, but he couldn't. He needed answers. The short man-made himself tall.

"What happened Launch? Who did this?"

"That kid with messy hair you've been looking for," she coughed and wiped her eyes with her free hand. "And his brother."

"Kakarot and Raditz," Krillin said their names with malice. He gazed off in the distance once more at the stagecoach heading towards the sunset. He heard the story of what their father had done and even received an invitation to attend Bardock's public hanging at Devil's Pass. "I think I know where they're headed."

* * *

When they were on the run from the law, the Saiyans knew never to start a fire no matter how desperately they needed it. As much as it made Vegeta relieved they remembered, it was still difficult pinpointing where they could be. They wouldn't have made camp somewhere visible to the naked eye. His only hope was to keep moving through the dark wild in hopes of running into them.

Chi-Chi had been fighting her sleep, but she caught her head going backward the further they went. It was about to do it again when the stagecoach jolted. Her eyes fully opened to see Raditz on his horse pointing a gun at them.

"Where the fuck did you panhandlers get that stagecoach?"

"You better point that away from my face if you know what's good for you."

Raditz blinked and held his lantern closer to the faces of the strangers. "Vegeta? What the hell are you wearing? And is that..." he squinted and then laughed loudly. "Teach! Look at you! Looking all manly!"

Vegeta motioned with his finger for the long-haired Saiyan to come closer. When he did, Raditz earned a smack on the back of the head. "Mighty fine job killing the fucking commander."

Judging by Raditz's nervousness, Chi-Chi hung her head low. So it was them that killed those two men after all. "It's not what you think, Vegeta. They were shooting at us first and we were trying to get away. There was no other way."

"Why'd they start shooting in the first place?" Chi-Chi asked before Vegeta could respond. "Were they just passing by and you decided to mess with them?"

"My reasons are my own, but they recognized Kakarot and knew he had a price on his head," Raditz's voice started off at his normal relaxed tone but shifted to being on the defense after searching Chi-Chi's face. "Don't you even think about giving my brother a hard time right now. If you make him feel any worse, he's gonna off himself."

Chi-Chi moved her head back. "What are you talking about?"

"Exactly what I told you," Vegeta looked at her. "It's that split personality of his. He'll be quick to draw but gets torn to hell after. Give him time and he'll be fine."

As Vegeta and Raditz discussed what the next steps were going to be, Chi-Chi sat in silence again. The stagecoach was being brought to an even more remote area hidden deep within the trees. The horses were smart enough to navigate their way through it despite not having a trail to follow. Raditz had turned the lantern off, leaving them in complete darkness save the moonlight.

Chi-Chi climbed off the now immobile wagon and looked around. There was a lump on the ground that she could identify as Nappa by his shiny head. There was no hide or no messy hair of Kakarot to be seen. Raditz eyed her suspiciously and she jumped when he stepped on a twig.

"I'm serious," he warned. "I know you don't give two shits about what happens to us, but we could've been the ones on the ground without him. You'd be in jail or shot after. Just leave him alone."

Strangely quiet, Chi-Chi nodded to show she understood. Raditz double checked to make sure she laid down before he got ready to rest himself. Their nights were going to have to be cut short from here on out. The girl remained silent, listening to the voices of Vegeta and Raditz begin to fade away each time they yawned. In minutes, there was nothing left to be heard. She laid there on the cold ground, wide awake and waiting.

Was this life out here? Cold, miserable, cruel? Was this the dream of the west? Literally, every decision made was life or death. A depressing thought crossed her mind. She and Daddy would be on a similar trail right now, exactly six months long in the same direction. Were they fated to die before making it, Saiyan ambush or not? The evil people, the harsh conditions, the mental anguish...

If Kakarot left her, she would've died out there alone with the knowledge she lacked. But he took her, and she had a chance. Now, she was branded an outlaw. Living in the shadows and forever looking over her shoulder.

She thought about murder. The dealer at Aces that she still knew nothing about, the two men on the trail, whoever Kakarot killed before she knew him... Chi-Chi still couldn't fathom it. Back at home, hardly anyone had a gun and nobody left their property. There was kindness there, never that feeling you had to shoot before getting shot.

There was no going back to the simple life. Not anymore.

How could any person be stable after experiencing this, she had no idea.

The crunching of leaves caused her to sit up straight. She could see the side view of Kakarot walking slowly like he had no purpose. She got up and jogged over to him. Even in the dark, she could see dried tear stains on his cheek.

"Kakarot?"

He didn't even flinch or look at her. His head went back to look at up the stars. Chi-Chi followed his gaze, wondering what he was seeing. The Saiyan was a chatterbox. The shell of him standing in front of her was mute.

"Kakarot," she tried again, but her voice was breaking. She could feel her eyes beginning to burn. "I don't understand, but I'm trying to. This is a horrifying way to live. I know it eats you up inside until there's nothing left."

She could see his eyes welling up again, but he didn't take them off the sky. Days had passed since they last saw one another but they only dug themselves deeper into what neither of them had planned for their life.

"If it means anything, I still think you're the sweetest man I've met and a great student. Probably the only one I'll ever have now," her laugh was short and sad, knowing her new truth. "Just don't lose that good part of you."

Kakarot remained a statue of his former self, lost in what he had done. Chi-Chi sighed and turned around, but a light grasp on her wrist stopped her. She twisted her body so she was staring at him.

"I need you to do a favor for me," his voice was full of quiet desperation and sadness. "The last one I'm ever going to ask you."

Chi-Chi swallowed hard. He really was broken up over what happened. "What?"

He reached into his holster and placed his gun in the hand he was holding. She gasped at both the touch and the gesture. It was heavier and more lethal than Vegeta's. "I want you to take this and leave."

She stared at the big iron in disbelief. The only thing about him that scared her. She searched his eyes for any truth she could find. "Why?"

"It's not safe anymore, Chi-Chi," Kakarot placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. "I thought I was helping by taking you with us, but we're a bunch of dead men walking. You need to go your own way from here."

Chi-Chi could feel her stomach-turning. His hopelessness was mirroring hers. She really didn't want to tell him right now, but it looked like she didn't have a choice. "Oh, Kakarot...Back at Rose's, I saw my face on a wanted poster next to yours. I'm just as dead as you are."

A sudden coldness was taking over the both of them. Kakarot furrowed his brows and pulled her slightly closer to hear her better. "What are you talking about?"

"That night at Aces," she gulped as tears began trickling down her face. Her hand that was holding the gun was growing weak and she lowered it to her side. "You killed a dealer and witnesses saw me with you. Now I'm in the thick of it with you."

Kakarot released her and took two steps back. The heavy feeling inside of him was causing him to become disorientated. He grabbed fistfuls of messy hair while he paced back and forth. "No, no, no, no..." he sunk to his knees and buried his face into his hands. Chi-Chi could see his back shaking, knowing that although it was silent he was crying.

She inhaled and exhaled slowly. If she hadn't gotten drunk that night and he had to take care of her, she wondered if he would've been reacting this very same way. She either wouldn't have been in this mess or he wouldn't have shot another person after that. Wondering wouldn't change a damn thing now. Chi-Chi slipped the gun inside her pocket and closed the distance between them.

When she sat down beside him, she was intending on rubbing his back but he ended up with his head on her lap. He was sniffing to prevent any more tears from coming out now that she was staring down at his face, but his blotchiness gave him away. In that moment, he looked less like a toughened outlaw and more like a lost little boy.

"He was gonna shoot Raditz...I'm so sorry..."

Chi-Chi knew he was talking about the dealer at Aces. She nodded and began scratching his head gently. "I don't know where to go from here."

Kakarot was finding it hard to keep his burning eyes open with her action. He looked up at her through half-open eyes. "Sunnybellow will still be there for you. Word don't travel fast out here. I'll get you there, Chi-Chi. I'll get you there before I go to Devil's Pass. I promise. I owe it to you."

She smiled small and sadly. She really hoped what he was saying was true. "How sure of that are you, Kakarot?"

"A hundred percent. It's not going to be easy for the next month or so," he yawned and turned his body so she was now looking at his ear. "The sheriff is gonna come at us hard. We gotta be five steps ahead until he gives up. Hang in there and we'll make it through."

His optimism now returning was making Chi-Chi have faith. It was all she had now and the weapon in her pocket. "What about your gun?"

"Keep it," he murmured into her leg. "I don't ever want to use it again."

Chi-Chi's hand froze and hovered above his head. Was he really going to give it up for good, or was he just too shook up right now? It didn't matter, though. In the end, he had given her the control. There was a shift in power tonight. "You better not, cowboy."

"I won't princess," she could see the skin around his eye crinkle when he smiled. "You look good in pants."


	7. By Any Other Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sheriff Krillin forms an unlikely group to go after the Saiyans for all the evil they have done. Meanwhile, Kakarot and Chi-Chi get reacquainted.

Rose's was empty for the first time since a plague struck many moons ago. The sheriff walked from one end of the barroom to the other, his hands never leaving from behind his back. The eyes of Launch and the saloon girl Caulifla followed him from where they sat. Caulifla shook her head while crumpling the wanted poster in her hands.

"I knew there was something off about him. I should've never told him about the gold."

Launch glared at the darker haired woman as she agreed with the statement, but kept her mouth shut by swallowing a third glass of whiskey. Tien always killed the guys she slept around with, never the other way around. She felt dirtier and guiltier than Caulifla did. Although she was only with Tien for security and he knew that, she never wanted anything to happen to him.

"It's not your fault," Krillin was unknowingly responding to both of them when he finally stopped walking. "The Saiyans are notorious for being manipulative. They're tricky bastards. I'm going to need a good crew to take them down."

"You got me," Launch slurred and held up a finger. She pointed it at Krillin so she could focus on him through blurred vision. "I can handle a gun."

As much as he didn't want to admit it, Launch was better at shooting than he was. It was part of the reason Tien was so attracted to her. "Are you up for that after everything that happened to you?"

"I want the scalp of that long-haired son of a bitch," the blonde bumped into numerous stools before finding her way behind the bar. She poured another glass full of whiskey with a shaky hand. "Nobody takes nothing from me and gets away with it."

Caulifla removed the bottle from Launch before she could spill it all over the counter. She dodged the glass that was thrown at her and looked to the sheriff. "I know you don't know me from Adam mister, but I can help you out. I don't like my hospitality being taken advantage of."

Krillin briefly looked the woman up and down. Her arms certainly were full of unexplained muscle. Rose's was known for having the rowdiest drunks but the lowest crime rate. Could it be her playing security guard? "It could take anywhere up to six months depending on the circumstances of catching them. Does that inconvenience you in any way?"

"The reward money for their heads will make up what I miss working, so no," she winked and Krillin smiled small. As great as the support of these two women was, he still needed more. Lapis was going to need a few months to get back to his old self, so that was an obvious no. Who else was there that would be willing to travel that far, that dangerously, to get a group of outlaws known for torture and murder?

A lightbulb went off in his head.

"Mind taking me to your jailhouse?"

Caulifla blinked at the sheriff's request. There were only two inmates in the town's jail, one for stealing a horse and one for the suspected murder of his own father. Both were expected to be hung at some point soon. "What business do you have there?"

"Please," Krillin urged. "I need men who think like outlaws. Nothing better than the actual thing."

The woman sighed. The sheriff truly was desperate. "Alright, but I can't guarantee _our_ sheriff is going to let them go so easily," she motioned for Krillin to follow her out the doors but looked back at Launch with a scowl before exiting. "No more booze, blondie!"

After being given the middle finger, Caulifla and Krillin headed to the jailhouse. Leaning all the way back in a chair with his feet propped up, the old sheriff was covering his face with his hat. A long white beard was moving with each snore his mouth made. Caulifla coughed twice and the sheriff fell out of his chair.

"Roshi, the sheriff from Proudstream has a proposition for you."

Recognizing her voice instantly, the man named Roshi removed the hat from his face and waggled his white eyebrows. "Ya sure it's not for you, sweet thing?"

She crossed her arms over her chest noticing he was staring at her breasts and raised her voice to a threatening level. "I already told you once, you dirty bastard. I don't care if you're our sheriff, I didn't vote you in and I'll be quick to stomp your face in."

"Calm down now, young lady I was just fooling," Roshi clicked his tongue but couldn't hide his sweatdrops. He raised a hand up for Krillin to grab. "Can you help a fellow lawman up off the floor?"

Krillin did so, but he kept his eyes on who was behind the bars. Both men were young, about Vegeta's or Raditz's age landing them just shy of thirty. The one on the left had a scar on his face and a ponytail full of hair. He was holding onto the bars and interested in the company that had just walked in. The one on the right, however, was eerily silent. His build was much larger than the other man's like he could kill a man with just a flick of the wrist. The quiet one wasn't making any contact, just playing with the spur on his boot.

"I said, what's your proposition?"

Krillin hadn't realized Roshi was questioning him. He took a deep breath and gestured towards the jailbirds. "I'd like to take them off your hands."

"What!?" Roshi arched an eyebrow. "Them cowards ain't fit to be tied. Whaddya want with them!?"

"The Saiyans killed my partner," Krillin inhaled and exhaled slowly, still not use to the words. "I'm going after them and I need more broncos on my side."

"YES!" the scarred one cheered, earning glances from the three non-criminals on the other side of the bars. This was his chance at freedom! Hanging was a cruel punishment just for _borrowing_ someone's horse. Whoever the hell the Saiyans were didn't matter. He'd do anything at this point. "I'm in, mister!"

Krillin grinned, although he was hoping the big one would be as enthusiastic. He remained silent. Roshi's voice had shifted to a serious tone as he held a hand up to the other sheriff.

"Hold it, hold it, hooooold it. Both these fellers are expected to be hanged later this week. I ain't letting them go just like that!"

"Would you do it for a million dollars?"

"WHAT!?" Roshi jumped up and tapped his feet together with a wild smile. "A MILLION FOR THESE GUMPS!?"

With a hand on her hip, Caulifla looked at Krillin who was mouthing her from the side of his mouth to be quiet. He was nowhere near a millionaire, but Roshi didn't need to know that.

"That's right. I'll give you a down payment and the rest when they get the job done."

While Roshi and Krillin shook on it, Caulifla walked over to the jail cell of the quiet man. She ignored the other one's flirtation while leaning against the bars. "Hey there, Broly. It's been a while."

Broly's hand hovered above his boot at the mention of his name. He stood up and closed the distance between them. Caulifla was of average height, but she felt like a dwarf looking up at him. "Is this a trap?"

Caulifla grinned. She never believed for a second that the big lug with a gentle voice could've murdered his own father. There was no proof, yet the town was so sure of it. "Nope. It's a second chance."

They both took a step back from the bars when Roshi came over with the keys to let Broly out. Krillin struck out a hand for the tall one to shake, and was doing his best not to sound intimidated. "Howdy. I'm Krillin. Would you mind following me back to Rose's to hear out my plan?" When Broly didn't do anything but stare at him, Krillin shifted his body to shake the other one's hand instead. "Howdy. I'm Krillin. Would you-"

"Of course!" the jailbird shook his hand tightly, grateful for anything other than a death sentence. "Name's Yamcha. Otherwise known as the Desert Bandit or Wolf Child."

"I'll just call you Yamcha," Krillin chuckled but stopped to swallow when he noticed Broly was still staring at him. "A-Alright then, cowpokes. Let's get the hell out of this hoosegow." Luckily this late at night, nobody would see the jailbirds walking freely out the door. Roshi would get slate for it in the morning, but at least he had a million dollars to look forward to.

The old man hung in the doorway as he watched the four leave. He cupped his hands over his mouth and called out to Krillin, "You got sand, that's for sure! I'd keep one eye open at night if I were you!"

* * *

Kakarot was grinning ear to ear as if he wasn't part of a bloody massacre a few days ago. He was sitting beside Chi-Chi, driving the stagecoach while she unknowingly was scooting closer to him after each bump they went through on the trail. The rest of his gang were riding ahead in search of a place that was safe enough to gather food.

She wasn't scared of him, and that was everything.

He struck his arm out to keep her from going forward as they hit another rough patch. He intended on keeping his promise about bringing her to her destination safely.

"When was the last time you recited the alphabet?" Chi-Chi was trying to get her mind off of the fact that she hadn't bathed in weeks. The last time was at Aces. Her greasy hair was tucked inside the hat she stole from Rose's, but it felt heavy and in desperate need of a wash. Her clothing was crusty from dried mud and as much as she loved her pants, she needed to ditch them. No air was circulating in or out of her. She could only imagine what Kakarot saw when he looked at her.

"I've been practicing. Want me to say it now?" Kakarot's eyes roamed over her features. He definitely was sweet on her and it didn't help that her face could be seen so perfectly without her hair covering it. He had been studying the paper she wrote the letters on without her knowledge in hopes of impressing her. It was going to be his time to shine.

"Ah, you're a no-good stretcher Kakarot. All you've been doing is riding and snoring."

"You wanna gamble on that, schoolma'am?"

Chi-Chi was fighting off a smile. Even though she tried to ignore it, there was no denying Kakarot had charm. He wasn't going to get what he wanted, though. "Alright, cowboy. Go ahead."

Without a hiccup, Kakarot rambled off every letter in the alphabet. He leaned in a bit closer to his passenger as he finished it off. "X, Y, Z. How'd I do?"

Chi-Chi sucked in her lips and nodded her head. "Mmhm, yeah. Good job. Do you have that paper with you?"

Kakarot lifted himself up and removed the folded paper from his back pocket. Quite proud of himself, he handed it over and smirked. "So what's my prize for getting it right?"

The woman unfolded the paper and pointed to the first letter. "I'll let you know in a minute. What's this letter?"

"A. Easy."

"Uh-huh. This one?"

"B. Stop pulling my leg, girl. I know it all."

"This one?"

"C."

Chi-Chi stifled her laughter as she nudged him. "Kakarot, please look at the letter I'm pointing to and tell me what it is."

Kakarot glanced down at the symbol her finger was on. "You need your ears cleaned, princess? I said C!"

"It's W. Just what I thought," she giggled and put her hand on his arm. "You memorized how to say the alphabet, but not the actual letters themselves. You won't be ready to learn your sounds until you can say them in random order." The bewildered expression he threw at her caused her to hide her face behind the paper, not wanting him to be offended by her increase in laughter.

"That's so many!" he nearly whined. "I'll be an old man by the time I read my first word!"

Chi-Chi lowered the paper and sighed at the sight of his pout. It really was like having a student of her own. "We can start by learning the letters in your name by heart," she didn't even bother asking him how to spell it. "Do you have the pen in your pants, too?"

"No, it's in the saddlebag!" Kakarot stopped the stagecoach just to retrieve it. She noted how fast he moved, too. His excitement could be contagious. "Here you go, Chi-Chi!"

She grabbed the feathered utensil and turned the paper over. They had stopped in the middle of the northwestern badlands. Nobody lived out here save tribes that kept to themselves and wild beasts. Chi-Chi quickly wrote so Kakarot could get them going again. "Okay, so you hear that 'cuh' sound at the beginning of your name? That's this letter right here."

Kakarot saw the symbol she was pointing to and shook his head. "Sorry, darling. It's this one. I don't know much but I do know I've seen it before."

Chi-Chi was surprised to see his finger on a K. "Oh! That's rare!"

"What sound does the K make?"

"The same one as C. 'Cuh'."

Kakarot's hands went on top of his hat as if it were going to fly off. "This gets more and more confusing. What kinda language is this!?"

"It's hard at first, but you'll get it. I believe in you," her voice was warm and genuine, making him relax. "I'm going to spell and sound out the rest of your name, okay? We can check with your brother later to make sure it's right."

"I'm sure you'll get it right," Kakarot watched her hand glide across the paper with a purpose. He always liked when she wrote. She stuck her tongue back inside her mouth when she finished and held up the paper.

"Here you go! This is your name. K-A-K-A-R-O-T."

The Saiyan reached for the paper slowly as if it were something precious. His chest lifted up as he took in a deep breath. When he released it, he looked at Chi-Chi with a brightness in his eyes. "This is my name. Mine," he looked at it again and his skin crinkled more from the size of his grin. "Wow. I can't wait to be able to write it."

Chi-Chi clasped her hands together and placed them against her beating heart. Moments like this is why she wanted to be a teacher. Helping Kakarot read and write could be her escape from the harsh reality she was currently trapped in. It only could last for brief periods, but it would be the only thing to keep her sane until Sunnybellow.

"Ouch."

"You okay?" Kakarot frowned, finally looking up from his name. She was rubbing the back of her neck. "Got bit by a skeeter?"

"Something like that," Chi-Chi felt a sharp but short pain coming from underneath her scarf. "I'll live."

"Want me to check to make sure it wasn't a bee sting?"

"Mm, I think I would've felt that. I've been stung before. But I suppose it couldn't hurt," she turned herself around so her back was facing him. Her face turned red realizing something. "I'm sorry if my neck is dirty. It's been a while."

"No need to apologize, princess."

Chi-Chi sighed in relief, knowing that Kakarot wouldn't judge her. She took her hat off and let her hair fall down. She put it all to the front side of her and then removed her scarf. She could feel Kakarot using the back of his hand to remove dirt and sweat from her skin. When he kept scrubbing, she was growing concerned.

"What is it?"

"The dirt's not coming off!"

Oh, gross. Was she really that dirty?

"Can you turn around?"

Her heart skipped a beat. Kakarot's voice sounded off. Did he see something she didn't? "What is it?"

He placed his knuckles on her collarbone and used his thumb to rub her skin gently. Chi-Chi managed to wince at the touch. His voice came out as a low whisper. "How'd you get bruised up?"

The days came and went so quickly that she had almost forgotten about the assault. "Oh. Vegeta choked me that morning you were looking for gold. I-" she stopped speaking when she noticed the change in his face. His eyes which were normally large and sweet were hooded and cloudy. His lips exposed his teeth that were gritting together. The thumb on her neck was removed when he could no longer be gentle.

The stagecoach took off abruptly, with Kakarot whipping the horses furiously and Chi-Chi holding onto the side for dear life. She recalled Vegeta being concerned about the marks left on her. Was she finally going to witness the reason why? Although Kakarot looked terrifying, knowing who the anger was directed towards didn't scare her. The wild ride, however, was causing her to scream.

"You better slow down before I'm sicker than a dog!"

He was looking at her through the side of his eye, too angry to slow down but not wanting to hurt her. He reached out one hand for her to hold and she reluctantly took it. Vegeta, Raditz, and Nappa had decided on a place to take a break and were climbing off their horses the same time the crazed stagecoach driver was coming around the bend.

The horses stopped right before they could run them over. The Saiyans hadn't noticed as they were searching inside their saddlebags for any useful resources they had left. Chi-Chi squeezed Kakarot's hand tightly while looking at his profile. He wasn't looking away from Vegeta but was waiting for her approval to go ahead. She released the beast and sent him towards the leader.

Hearing footsteps, Vegeta threw his pack of matches over his shoulder at Kakarot. "We're only starting a fire for the fish we catch then moving on," the sound of the box missing and hitting the ground caused Vegeta to turn around. His eyes went from the bloodthirsty outlaw to the girl hovering by the stagecoach. Her neck had been exposed. "...Fuck!"

Raditz and Nappa raised their hands in the air and moved out of the way as Kakarot knocked Vegeta to the ground. He sat on top of him pounding him repeatedly in the face. Vegeta had flipped him over and was getting some hits in as well, but soon the two were rolling down to the bank and into the river. Raditz, Nappa, and Chi-Chi ran to the edge as water splashed everywhere.

"Shit. What did you tell him this time, Teach?"

"Nothing," Chi-Chi shrugged her shoulders. There was something so satisfying about seeing Vegeta's face be slammed against the rocks as he was pulled in and out of the water. Kakarot _did_ say he would protect her. "Your brother is just really good at keeping promises."

* * *

Vegeta was glaring at Kakarot through swollen eyes. The two had both drawn the short sticks and were on fishing duty in the same river he was just beaten to a bloody pulp in. Their stained shirts were tossed out on the land and their pants had been rolled up to their knees. Each time Kakarot caught a fish, he threw it over to Vegeta who would then hand it to Chi-Chi.

"You harlot," he muttered as quietly as he could when Chi-Chi would take a fish. "I told you not to take that fucking scarf off."

Chi-Chi dropped the flopping fish on top of the pile. Feeding four men and herself after a few days of nothing were going to take a lot. "Serves you right, you bastard. He should've done more."

"Hey, guys!" Kakarot called out, sounding as happy as he did before. "There's more action going on a little further ahead! Follow me!"

Vegeta glared over his shoulder when Chi-Chi wasn't following. "You heard your lover boy. Get a move on."

Not wanting Vegeta to know any of her weaknesses, she couldn't tell him she didn't know how to swim. Seeing how Kakarot and Vegeta weren't even knee-deep in the water, she figured she'd be able to move a few inches out without having to go under. Taking deep breaths and cautious steps, she stopped when she couldn't go any farther.

"Ooh! There's a big mama!" Kakarot rubbed his hands together and went underneath. He came out with a large trout in his arms. He hooted and hollered while looking at the other Saiyan as if they weren't just beating on one another. "Ready Vegeta!?"

Vegeta caught it and smirked at the unsuspecting Chi-Chi. She was distracted by something in the water. He threw it directly at her head, knocking her off her feet and sweeping her underneath the stream. Kakarot hadn't noticed she fell in until he heard Vegeta laughing cruelly. Panic rushed through him while he ran to where she was last seen.

"What happened!?"

"Relax, Kakarot. All she needs to do is swim back."

The younger Saiyan grabbed Vegeta tightly by the shoulders and shook him. "SHE CAN'T SWIM!"

"WELL, HOW THE HELL WAS I SUPPOSE TO KNOW THAT!?"

Kakarot groaned and disappeared under the water. He couldn't see her anywhere. He came back up when he heard Vegeta shouting something. He was pointing upward. "Just saw her arm pop up down there. I don't know if the rest of her body was attached to it."

With eyes wide, Kakarot swam as fast as he could. Why would she even be that far into the water in the first place? The little thing was just bound to give him a heart attack at a young age. He dove back under after not seeing anything on top of the water. His heart rate calmed down when he finally spotted her. Her leg was trapped under a log and she was struggling to get loose. Chi-Chi passed out before he lifted the log, and he held her close as he brought her to the surface.

"Chi-Chi!? Chi-Chi! Are you okay?" he was on top of her, both their bodies soaked to the bone. When he didn't hear a response, he tilted her head back gently and opened her mouth. Seeing it was full of water, he rolled to her side to make it come out, and then he put her on her back again. He could hear the boys emerging from behind but he ignored them. His girl wasn't breathing.

He pinched her nose while placing his lips on hers. He blew his own air into her mouth for a second and saw her chest beginning to rise. He pulled himself away so she could cough.

"Oh...Oh no!" Kakarot's voice was oozing false concern as he looked up at the Saiyans. "She needs more air!"

She blinked her eyes and looked up at him. "K-Kakarot...what are you-"

His lips crushed hers and she could feel a little bit of his tongue slipping inside. Her face was burning and he could see it when he came back up. She could hear Nappa's voice in the back.

"Kakarot! If her heart isn't beating, press on her chest!"

Clearly, they couldn't see that she was breathing from where they stood. Chi-Chi was in a state of shock from drowning and the lip action repeatedly coming back down to her that her mind didn't know what to do. His hands were inches above her sopping breasts, but instead of having them get busy he just winked at her. "Glad I got the color back to your face, princess."

He stood up and offered her his hand. She took it and stared at him through her wet bangs. He thought he was going to get an extra smooch for saving her, but she decided to slap him. As she growled and stomped away in soggy boots, Kakarot touched his sore cheek and laughed.


	8. Big Iron on Her Hip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As time on the run goes on, Kakarot finds something useful he can teach Chi-Chi.

Chi-Chi took one bite of the fish and made a face. It didn't go unnoticed by Nappa, who served as the cook for the afternoon.

"Something the matter, spoiled brat?"

After Kakarot's little make-out session he managed to sneak in and Vegeta's attempt to drown her, Chi-Chi had separated herself from the Saiyans. They were gathered around the fire that was used to cook the fish while she sat on a log further away.

"There's no flavor."

Raditz lowered his fish from his mouth so she could see his eyes roll. "News flash Teach," he spoke with a full mouth. "Look around at where you are. Be thankful to be eating something."

While she heard them continuing to eat the flavorless meal, Chi-Chi stood up. If the brutes hadn't already sold it or left it in Bulma's care, the seasonings she packed with her dad should still be in one of the cases inside the stagecoach. Kakarot eyed her until she disappeared and frowned at the meal in his hand. She wasn't the only one that thought Nappa's fish was lousy.

"You think she's mad at me?"

Raditz realized Kakarot was asking him. He shrugged his shoulders and pulled his eyebrows together. "That girl's always mad. Stop worrying so much about how she feels." Even though he said that Raditz was silently thankful for whatever the hell Chi-Chi talked to him about to get him out of that depressive funk. Nothing he told him ever worked.

"I'm gonna go ask her."

"It's your funeral."

Kakarot placed his fish down on his handkerchief and headed to where Chi-Chi had disappeared to. His heart sunk when he thought she had left, but then she came around from behind the stagecoach. She was wearing one of her pretty dresses again after getting soaked earlier. In her arms was a large case. "Need some help, darling?"

"Don't 'darling' me," she glared at him over the case and waddled as she walked from the weight of it. "You've stolen your last kiss from me, mister."

Kakarot was following closely behind. She damn near tripped on a fallen branch as she continued on. Before she could keep going, he got in front of her and removed the case. "I'm sorry I got carried away, Chi-Chi. Sometimes I can't help myself when it comes to you."

Now that her arms were free, she was able to place her hands on her hips and really give him a piece of her mind. "Well, you better learn! That one time I asked you was the last time I ever will. Can you get that through your thick skull?"

He lowered the case almost as much as he lowered his head. "I learned my lesson. Don't worry."

Seeing how hurt he looked and sounded at her words started to make her feel terrible. She shouldn't be this harsh to him since he _did_ save her. It took a lot for her to admit when she was wrong so she knew she wasn't going to do that. There was another way she could apologize to him. "Bring the case over to the fire. I'm going to make that fish worth eating and you'll get the first bite."

In high spirits once more, Kakarot saluted her and did as he was told. Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz eyed the case suspiciously as it was dropped down in front of them. Chi-Chi stuck her nose up as she sauntered over and began getting to work. She put the fish that was still raw in a bowl from the case and began opening a variety of jars. She shook the bowl so the fish was coated in flavor. As soon as she stuck one into the flame using a sharp stick, Kakarot was salivating at the scent.

"You smell that, Nappa?" Chi-Chi didn't have to look at him to know he was fuming. "That's how it's supposed to be done."

It smelled _so_ good that Kakarot tried to take the hot fish off the stick as soon as she pulled it out. She swatted his hand away gently and put the fish down on a cutting board.

"Can I see your knife, Raditz?"

Raditz glanced at Vegeta, knowing that last time he had given her a knife she was going to stab him with it. Their leader was too into what was on the young chef's board. Shit, he wanted a piece too. He handed her the knife and sat back to watch her cut through everything but the bones. There was now nicely chopped, seasoned fish.

Chi-Chi picked up a piece and held it up to Kakarot. "Open your mouth," when he did she threw the fish inside. "How do you like it?"

When it hit his taste buds, Kakarot swore he was sent to another world. He never knew that fish could taste this damn good. His eyes widened with hunger as he let out a warhoot. "Boy, oh boy! The gal can cook!" He opened his mouth again in hopes she'd feed him again, but she handed him the entire board instead.

"You go ahead and finish it," she laughed and gestured to the Saiyans getting dangerously close. "I think I need to make more."

Before his brother could get his grubby hands on the food, Kakarot ran away to where Chi-Chi was sitting before and ate it instantaneously. He reported back to the chef for more but was booted to the end of the line. Chi-Chi was feeling mighty prideful watching the tough men looking to her to solve their hunger crisis. Even Vegeta had mumbled something that sounded like 'decent' when he took a bite. It was fun at first, but they wanted more and more as if they had a bottomless pit. Her arms were beginning to grow tired from all the chopping and grilling. At last, they were beginning to slip into a food coma.

While they were digesting their first meal in days, Chi-Chi ate hers in peace. Kakarot was resting near her and using his fingernail to dig out any pieces that got stuck. "Gosh Chi-Chi," his words came out funny with his open mouth. "You never mentioned you can cook."

"I had a big kitchen back home and learned how to make it work," she smiled at the memory and swallowed what she was chewing on. There was more than food she learned how to make. "If there's any town that's safe for us to visit, I wanted to get some things so I can make soap. I think after feeding you all, I deserve not to be inhaling your awful stenches all the time."

Raditz burped as if on cue and rested his arms behind his head. "Blisscanyon's coming up. We'll be good there for a quick stop. Vegeta needs a gun anyway. Right boss?"

Vegeta was snoring in response. He was the first one to knock out after the feast, followed by Nappa. Raditz himself was barely hanging on. He looked at Chi-Chi with one eye open.

"We'll ride out-" he yawned. "-in a few minutes."

Kakarot forced himself to flip over on his stomach once he knew Raditz was asleep. Chi-Chi was on her last bite when he looked up at her. "I think you stole their hearts with that cooking. I can't believe how delicious it was!"

"Not delicious enough to make you fall asleep?" she joked.

Kakarot's smile grew bigger. Why would he fall asleep when he had a dream right in front of him?

* * *

"I'm glad you ditched the hat, but you really don't need the poncho anymore."

When Vegeta chose to act like he didn't hear him, Raditz let him wander off through the merchant camp of Blisscanyon. He placed his back against an abandoned wagon and decided to people watch. Chi-Chi had her arms full of ingredients she needed to make soap and poor Kakarot was taking change out of his pocket to pay for it like he was her husband or something. When the transaction was over, Raditz whistled to get his brother's attention.

"You need something?" Kakarot had made his way over and had that dopey look on him.

Raditz looked over his brother to make sure the girl was distracted by something else. "I think you're doing far too much just to lay with her."

The younger brother's nostrils flared as if were offended by the suggestion. "I already told you, it ain't like that! It's my fault she's in trouble with the law and I'm making up for it."

"But you like her."

"So?" Kakarot's blush was giving him away. "What's that gotta do with anything?"

Raditz shook his head and motioned for his brother to walk with him. When Kakarot kept looking over his shoulder for Chi-Chi, Raditz put a strong arm around his neck and forced him to keep moving ahead. "Let Teach have a chance to breathe. You know she could never feel the same about you, right?"

As much as his brother teased him, Raditz did have some knowledge that he didn't. "What do you mean?"

"Whenever she looks at you, how do you know she doesn't see the man that helped kill her father?"

"But I didn't-"

"Doesn't matter. We're already labeled in the worst part of her mind."

Kakarot stopped walking to consider the truth in his brother's words. That was one of the fears he had, that she'd never look at him any different than Vegeta. "That's why I'm trying to get her to trust me. I gave her my gun and-"

"WHAT!?" Raditz smacked the back of his brother's head the hardest he could. It sent Kakarot stumbling forward but he regained his balance. "You fucking dummy! Pops gave that to you!"

"And I gave it to her! I told you I don't want to live like that anymore!" Kakarot rubbed the back of his head that was hit and started to leave his brother behind. "Now if you excuse me I'm going to find a holster since her pants got all tore up."

Vegeta walked by Raditz the moment he stormed off after Kakarot. The leader didn't care what issue the brothers were going through yet again. He was cursing under his breath in disbelief about what he was about to do. The girl was with Nappa loading up the stagecoach with blankets and other goods for the cold months to come. He cleared his throat so she would look at him, and had to do it again when she didn't bother. If he had to do it a third time, he was going to shoot her with his new gun.

Hearing his grunts, Chi-Chi finally got the hint. "What do _you_ want?"

Without a word, he stuck his hand out. There was a letter folded up enough to fit inside an envelope. He was avoiding eye contact with her. "It's a draft."

"And?" Chi-Chi knew what it was for, but she wanted to see him squirm a little. He was gone for a long time and now it made sense as to why. "What's that got to do with me?"

She bit her lip when he growled and dropped it to the ground. After he was a good distance away, Chi-Chi bent down and put it in a safe place inside one of the cases. She wasn't going to do the bastard any favors, but Bulma deserved some clarity and the letter would need to get sent at some point. Nappa laughed as he shut the doors.

"When the boss can't listen," he whispered in case Vegeta was still lingering nearby. "You _have_ to tell me what it says."

"Deal."

* * *

"You better come back to me."

After Krillin kissed Lazuli, he held onto her beautiful face to get a good look. If it weren't so damn important to stop the Saiyans from getting to Devil's Pass, he would never leave. "I always do, don't I?"

"I mean it, Krillin. It's just not me that needs you."

The bump keeping them apart moved. The fact that he was going to miss the birth of his son or daughter hurt the most. He slid off the bed to drop to his knees. His arms wrapped around her and his forehead resting against her stomach. "I know, honey. I know. I'll be home before you know it. The vigilantes I have are going to get those Saiyans good."

Lazuli rubbed her husband's head gently while glancing out the window. The four members were sitting on the horses, waiting for the sheriff to join them. She had no choice but to trust them with his life. "You should go before the Saiyans are too far."

Krillin lingered against her stomach a little longer before getting back on his feet. They kissed one last time, then the sheriff removed his hat from the rack near the door. As he put it on, he glanced down at Lapis who was asleep after being medicated. Against all odds, he was alive and breathing. "Take good care of them for me," the brother-in-law sighed deeply and stepped outside.

This type of business didn't allow for tears or second thoughts. He adjusted his holster and walked as tall as the short man possibly could. His horse was waiting for him right beside Launch, who was sobered up and ready for the hunt.

"Did you say your goodbyes?"

"Sure did," Krillin tipped his hat at her and looked to the others as he got on the saddle. They had enough ammunition in each of their saddlebags to take out an army. For safety concerns, Broly and Yamcha weren't given a weapon. They'd be given one when the time came. "There's been too much corruption and crime going on. It's time for it to end."

Yamcha gave the sheriff a thumbs up and took his hat off to wave around wildly. "Yeehaw! I hear that!" He was thankful not to be labeled a criminal anymore. He confessed to Krillin he was going to get some tail on the other side of town when he took that horse and planned on bringing it right back that very same night. "Let's take down those Saiyans!"

Krillin smiled and turned to Broly. Now Broly, he was still on the fence about. The big guy was so quiet when he tried to see his side of the story about the death of his father that Krillin didn't know if he was guilty or innocent. The only thing he knew about Broly was that he wanted to assist in the Saiyans' capture willingly. Caulifla seemed to trust him enough, and the girl wasn't a dummy. "Are you ready, Broly?"

At least he got a nod from him.

The five took off, all knowing who exactly they were looking for and which Saiyan they were going to go after first. Krillin knew the Saiyans were survivalists and use to being on the run. They knew the land more than the group did, so they were going to have to keep all eyes open and limit their sleep. They only stopped when their horses needed a rest. Occasionally as they got near a town, they would ask of any whereabouts but no good leads were given.

After a few weeks, the sheriff was growing wary. The vigilantes were exhausted from the travels and there had been no sign of the Saiyans anywhere. Krillin was absolutely sure they were going to Devil's Pass to save Bardock, but maybe he was wrong after all...

He splashed water on his face and held onto it for a second while trying to think.

"Boss! Have a look over here!"

The sheriff jogged over to where he heard Yamcha's voice. The self-proclaimed wolfman was squatting down with Launch looking at something on the ground.

"Fishbones..."

"Any person or beast could leave behind fish bones," Caulifla spoke with her arms across her chest. "How are you sure it was them?"

As soon as she said it, Broly emerged from the bushes holding a pile of dark clothing. He dropped it in front of Krillin's boots. "You said they wear a lot of black, didn't you?"

For once, the man said more than three words to him. He would give the big lug and hug if he didn't think he'd be beaten to death for it. The group finally had the motivation and knowledge to continue moving forward. "That's right, Broly. Nice job."

* * *

As Chi-Chi watched Kakarot practice writing his name for the third time in a row, she couldn't help but notice he was using his left hand to scratch his chin after each letter. Patches of hair were becoming more and more prominent as the weeks passed on. It wouldn't be very long until he had a full-on beard as her daddy did. She couldn't even remember what his fresh face looked like now that his five o'clock shadow had arrived.

"Are you alright?"

"Huh?" Kakarot had lifted up the pen to write the 'o' and noticed she was pointing at his scratching finger. "Oh, yeah. Pops had a special snake oil I use to put on my chin when it got itchy but I ran out long before I met ya. Just gotta deal with it until I can shave it again."

Chi-Chi squinted at his stubble, trying to picture the Saiyan with a goatee. "Daddy used to make some of his own, too. I can try making it for you."

"How sweet are you, darling. Soap and oil. Aren't I spoiled?"

After he finished the 't', Kakarot looked at her with a warm smile. What he wouldn't give to have one of those fancy cameras to capture what he saw in front of him. They were taking a rest stop to recharge. Deciduous trees were beginning to change color from green to orange, and the bright leaves were falling slowly around them. She was sitting more closer to him than usual and was being patient with how long it was taking him to write each letter of his name. Ever since they left Blisscanyon, she had been awfully kind.

He felt like he had to do something in return.

Chi-Chi blushed at their closeness while she looked down at his paper. It brought back memories of the kiss they shared. Fearing what may happen if history repeated itself, she picked up the paper and moved away. "Okay Kakarot," she didn't know why her voice had become a whisper. "I'm going to point at a letter in your name randomly. Tell me what it is."

He rubbed his hands together and positioned himself so they were now sitting directly across from one another. "I reckon I'm ready."

Each letter she had pointed to, he was able to identify. Her jaw dropped when told her the sounds a few made as well. He was grinning like a mule eating briars. "I'm so happy for you!" she really was! Chi-Chi outstretched her hand for Kakarot to give her a high-five. Once he did, she held on and squeezed it tightly. "You'll be reading in no time!"

Kakarot lowered their hands but kept them together. "I can't take all the credit, ma'am. You're the best teacher in the whole wide world," they stared into each other's eyes for a good while. She had a nice glow to her that was missing before. It made his stomach feel funny. "Is there anything I can teach you?"

Chi-Chi rubbed her lips together. The way they were tingling was setting off alarms in her head. Kakarot was already showing her the ins and outs of survival on the run, plus he was getting her to Sunnybellow. There wasn't much else she needed. "No, I-"

"You wanna learn how to shoot?"

Still holding his hand, she arched up a thin eyebrow. His big iron was resting in the holster he had purchased her in town. She was suddenly feeling the heavyweight of it on her hip. "I don't ever plan on using it."

"Not for taking a man's soul, darling. But you're gonna need it eventually. To hunt, to protect yourself. Please?" he blinked his eyes repeatedly while begging. "It's just about the only thing I'm good at."

_You're sure as sin a good kisser._

Chi-Chi shook her head as if that would rid her dirty thought. She knew how to hold a gun after watching the Saiyans, but never actually _used_ one. Multiple times she heard how fast and good of a shot Kakarot is. If she could ever find it in herself to shoot Vegeta, it would be a clean kill after Kakarot's training. Chi-Chi used her free hand to strum her fingers against the weapon as she weighed her options.

"I ain't forcing ya, darling. But I know you'd feel better about being out here," Kakarot had a feeling deep down that at this point the girl wouldn't use his own gun against him. It pained him to know she would be leaving at him soon but at least there was a way to know she'd stay safe. "What's the word, hummingbird?"

"Okay, cowboy. Show me."

Damn, how he loved when she called him that. He stood up and brought her with him. It surprised them both they've been holding hands for some time. He was the one to release first in order to run ahead to a tree. He scratched at the bark until he made a bare spot. "This'll be your target. Can you see it from there?"

"Yes," she called back. "But it's quite far! I don't know if I'll be able to shoot it from here!"

"It's all about practice, princess!" Kakarot's voice started off loud but got quieter as he came back to her. "Let's see how ya hold it."

Chi-Chi removed the big iron from her holster and held it up with her fingers on the trigger. She aimed the barrel in the direction of the target, then shrugged. "This is how I see you bushwhackers hold it."

"You're gonna give yourself a snake bite," Kakarot chuckled and came around behind her. "Your thumbs should never be crossed like that behind the slide. You'll wound yourself something awful."

Chi-Chi blinked, just now noticing her crossed thumbs. "I didn't even know I was doing that..."

"It's alright. May I have your permission to get close?"

A chill ran down her spine when she felt his breath on her neck. "S-Sure." It didn't take even a second for his large hands to run down her arms until they reached her wrists.

"What's your strong hand?"

"My right?"

"Good to know," he rested his chin on top of her head. For some reason, she backed herself into him until there was absolutely no space between them. His seriousness when it came to firing wasn't enough for her ass pressing against him to break his focus. He maneuvered her hands so that the right one was secure on the grip and the left was filling up the empty space.

"This feels weird."

"It always does your first time, but you'll get used to it. You have to do it this way because the gun recoils. It'll send you on your ass or fly back to bruise ya. When you have some control, you can do it one-handed like me one day," Kakarot slid his hands up so they were now on her shoulders. He used the tip of his boots to gently kick her heels. "Spread your feet out."

"Like this?" Chi-Chi could hear him laughing when she did it.

"Too far. Should be the width of what I'm holding onto. You need to bend your knees a little."

Keeping her hands positioned correctly on the gun, Chi-Chi looked down below to adjust her feet accordingly. With all these steps, it crazy to think how fast the Saiyans could shoot and kill a person without harming themselves. Kakarot patted her back when her position was right.

"This is it. Extend your arms, aim at the target, and pull the trigger."

Chi-Chi did as she was instructed and took a deep breath before firing. Kakarot had stepped a few feet away from her to give her the space she needed. Her hands were shaking as she did her best to focus on the tree's mark. When she was finally steady, she pulled the trigger. The sound of the bullet escaping made her heart race and slow down at the same time. Whenever she heard the sound, it meant death was in the air. It still reminded her of mortality, but in this moment it was exhilarating. She was given a glimpse of how tough she could be, and when the smoke cleared she was smiling.

Even if she had missed the target.

Kakarot whistled and leaned back slightly at how close she was. "Not too bad for your first time, ma'am."

Chi-Chi had lowered the gun to her side and was jumping up and down, unable to contain her excitement. "That felt _great_! Can I do it again!?"

He was about to respond when the gun accidentally went off into the ground. Screaming, she dropped it and found herself in Kakarot's arms. After the shock wore out, she looked up at him and laughed nervously like a child being caught stealing.

"Whoopsies...I should be more careful, huh?"

"It's not something to toy with," he scolded her playfully by using the hand not touching her waist to tap her nose with each word. "You can shoot as much as you want. It's yours, remember? Just make sure you're not wasting all the bullets. They'll be hard to come by."

Caught up in the high of it all, Chi-Chi wrapped both arms around his torso as tight as she could. "Thank you, Kakarot," her voice was muffled with her lips being crushed against his chest. "You're a pretty great teacher yourself."

The little thing was making him feel what he never thought was possible. Chi-Chi was the only other person besides his ma to tell him he was smart and was something special. She's tough, brave, and beautiful. She cooks, she's resourceful and might become a good shot. There was no doubt in his mind that he loves her, but she would never know. Her heart was set on Sunnybellow, and he was bound to be on the run for the rest of his life. He had to take advantage of the few moments in between where he could see what his life would be like if they met another way.

If Chi-Chi wasn't a certain type of woman, and he wasn't a different kind of man.

He returned her embrace and held on until she was ready to let go. They could hear the sounds of the other Saiyans telling them it was time to get back on the trail again. "Looks like you'll have to try again at our next stop."

Chi-Chi was staring at the man's back when he separated from her to gather their small belongings. After placing the gun inside her fresh holster, she reached a hand out to grab his. She couldn't find the words she wanted to tell him because she didn't know what the hell she was doing. He didn't seem to mind holding her hand. He didn't let her go as they walked back to the stagecoach together.

Raditz felt Nappa's elbow digging into his shoulder as Kakarot and Chi-Chi were in plain sight. "Ha, and you were worried about her having the gun. Told you Kakarot wasn't shot."

The jaw of the older brother clenched and unclenched. He was about to climb onto his horse when his conscience was telling him to stop. "I'll be right back," he grumbled to Nappa before raising his voice to his one and only sibling. "Kakarot! I'd like to have a word with you about our current situation."

Kakarot tilted his head to the side as he got closer. "What situation you talkin'- Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"

Chi-Chi had no choice but to let go of his hand once Raditz gripped him tightly by the ear. He dragged him back to where Kakarot and Chi-Chi were alone together and shoved him against the tree with the bullet hole. "Giving up your gun for her and now holding hands!? Are you that stupid!? How the fuck are you going to stay alive if she's turning you soft?"

"I ain't soft," Kakarot pushed him off. "I can handle myself fine without a gun and I promised I'd get her to that place after what we did to her. She grabs my hand, I'm grabbing back no questions asked!"

Raditz slapped himself and dragged his hand down his face. Not only did Kakarot look like the reincarnation of Pops, but his only weakness was also a bossy woman. "Once you ditch Teach, you're going to be locked and loaded for Devil's Pass. No way in Hell you're getting out of there alive without a gun. We can't let Pops hang from a rope. Not after all this shit."

Kakarot's expression softened when he noticed his brother's voice crack. Raditz sniffed twice and looked away until he was sure tears wouldn't fall out. Sometimes Kakarot was so caught up in the journey that he forgot what they had to do by the end. If they lost Pops, nothing else would matter. By then, Chi-Chi wouldn't be around to witness if he had to kill someone again.

"Once Pops is with us," Raditz finally continued after breathing in and out. He was now able to look at him. "That's when this type of life is over for us. Forever. That's my promise to you."

Kakarot believed him. He didn't have the heart to get his gun back from Chi-Chi now that she was enjoying herself, but hopefully, in the end, she would be willing to hear his side. "I still ain't shooting until Devil's Pass."

Raditz's eyes narrowed as they began walking back to the horses side by side. "You better pray we don't run into any trouble."

"Oh I know," Kakarot stifled his laughter as he kicked a rock in his way. "You're a terrible shot."

"Shut up."

"Chi-Chi's better than you and she aims like a blind person."

"That's it!"

Hearing grunts coming from behind, Chi-Chi looked over her shoulder to see Kakarot trapped in a headlock. With the brothers fighting, she was left alone with Vegeta and Nappa. The latter of the two had run off for a last-minute piss and Vegeta was taking a smoke break. Glancing at him automatically made Chi-Chi place her hand near her holster.

"So what'd you think," he blew invisible smoke rings in the air and shook the hand-rolled cigarette. "Worthy of Shakespeare or what?"

"I haven't gotten around to reading the letter."

"You bitch," Vegeta glared at her and chewed on the stick in his mouth. "What the hell do you mean 'haven't gotten around to it'? You've been sitting pretty next to Kakarot the last month while we've been busting our asses on saddles. I'd like to see your pampered little self riding for once. What a sight that would be."

She knew he'd never thank her for all the food and soap she'd been prepping, but Chi-Chi still couldn't believe the bastard thought she was lazy. She noticed he had his free hand on his holster as well. She needed more time before she could even think about whipping hers out. "Alrighty, Poncho. Let's trade."

"You realize you'll be riding in the badlands and not a pony farm right?" Vegeta chuckled and crushed his cigarette out with his boot. "I can't wait to see you fall into a ravine."

"I can't wait for you to drop dead," she muttered and bumped his shoulder with hers as she walked by. Kakarot and Raditz were returning at the same time she got onto Vegeta's horse. She was in the middle of Nappa and the empty horse of Raditz. The bald Saiyan shook his head.

"I think you're overestimating yourself, girl. If you don't have a tight grip, you'll fly right off."

Chi-Chi was holding the reins so hard that her nails were digging into her skin. She once had a wild bronco she needed to tame back at home. This well trained, well-ridden horse shouldn't be as bad. "I'll be fine."

"If you say so."

"Aw hell, Teach!" Raditz smirked while saddling up. "You're dipping your toes in all sorts of new adventures today, aren't you?"

"I'll have you know that- AHHH!" The horse she was on thought her adjusting herself was her way of saying it was time to go. He took off in a flash, sending Chi-Chi over the side and on her own. Her legs were dragging against the dirt and mud of the trail as she hung onto the ropes for dear life. Her hands were burning to the point that she finally had to let go. The horse had stopped a few feet from where she landed while the hooves of another were approaching. On her back, Chi-Chi was looking up at Raditz.

"Hey, Teach?"

"What?" she winced.

"I'm going to need you to get back on the stagecoach."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artwork by the lovely SandsDrawing on Tumblr. <3 Thank you for the sweet surprise!


	9. The First Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chi-Chi falls victim to the harsh weather of the wild. The Saiyans have to make a difficult decision to reach out to an old acquaintance for help.

_Son,_

_You may have already heard but I am to be hanged at Devil's Pass on March 7th in the morning. I tell you this not for you to stop it, but for you to know what date to put on my tombstone. I wish to be buried next to your mother back at the ranch or what remains of it._

_Please let my life be a cautionary tale. I'm paying for my sins rightfully. That doesn't mean it's too late for you and Kakarot. Get out while you can and start a family of your own so you can understand what real pride is._

_Take care of your brother for me. It occurred to me as I wrote this that I never said it before so I'll say it now. I love you._

_\- Your father_

When Raditz had put an extra layer of pants on to fight against the cooling weather, the note had fallen out of his pocket. Condensation made him see his breath as he exhaled. He had read the letter a thousand times over. His father wished against it, but the Saiyans all agreed they would save him from the gallows. There were some older ones meeting up with them there to cause more of a distraction. In the midst of it all, Raditz and Kakarot would take Bardock away and run across the border to start a new life.

It was easier said than done.

As he placed the note back inside his pocket, he thought about the words his father wrote down. It was too late for them to have a normal life in a country they always knew as home. Like their father, they had killed a lawman and there might be more under their belts by the time the trip was over. Raditz felt the bark of the tree dig into his back as he glanced in the direction of Kakarot and Chi-Chi.

They had grown a lot closer than Raditz thought was possible. His brother was practically joined at the hip with her. Teach was starting to return the look of fondness that he had been throwing at her since day one. Seeing Kakarot happy was...

Nice?

Grotesque?

A little bit of both?

Anything was better than dealing with mental breakdowns. He still couldn't shake the feeling that he was going to have to deal with them again once the chicken went home to roost.

Raditz stretched his legs out and shivered. He could feel the ice of the morning grass seeping through his jeans. The hardest part of the trip was coming. Autumn didn't last long in the badlands. The area was notorious for early snow. They had to get the hell out of the state while they had the chance. He cupped his mouth and called out, "Hey lovebirds! Five more minutes and it's time to scram!"

"Okay!" Kakarot answered back and brought his focus back to the woman in front of him. " _Geh_."

"Try again."

When Kakarot messed up the 'g' sound again, Chi-Chi took his hand and placed it on her throat. Her neck was now fully healed and cleaned. Bathing was starting to get difficult with the water hitting freezing temperatures, but she still managed to get each part she needed fresh. She made the sound for him and let him feel the movement it made.

"Does that make more sense?"

"Yeah!" Kakarot grinned. "It's like you're choking on a piece of a hog!"

"Uh..." Chi-Chi blinked and then laughed nervously. "Sure. Can you do it?"

Once Kakarot made the sound more than once, Chi-Chi beamed and wrote a word down on the paper they were sharing. He recognized the letters. D, o, g. He knew the sounds each one made but wasn't sure what she was going to have him do.

"Say the letters one at a time slowly at first, then faster each time after that."

As Kakarot did it, he made a face. Did she just write down some gibberish? No, she wouldn't fool him like that. He whispered the sounds to himself and bobbed his head with each one until a lightbulb went off in his head. "Does that say dog?"

"YES!" Chi-Chi threw her hands up in the air and flung the pen and paper in different directions. "Kakarot! You just read your first word all by yourself!"

"I DID!?"

"Yes!"

He couldn't help it. Kakarot lifted her up with him and spun her around. The deciduous trees that surrounded them turned bare rather quickly. He put her down but was still hugging her. "Next stop, can I read some more?"

"Of course!" she giggled while tugging on his dark beard. The oil she had made caused it to grow faster. Vegeta and Raditz had quite the facial hair of their own as well, but poor Nappa couldn't grow any type of hair if his life depended on it. His thin mustache never changed. "Your beard might be touching your boots soon."

Her actions were tickling him and he decided to return the torment. Over her dress, she was wearing a tan oversized canvas jacket that belonged to her dad. It was like another dress on her. He slid his hands from the small of her back to underneath her arms. His fingers moved rapidly and made her shriek and laugh at the same time.

"Kakarot!" she hated being tickled and her laughter increased when he went to her ribs. "Stop!"

With him being relentless, Chi-Chi had no choice but to defend herself. She lifted up her foot and kicked up his ankle, making him fall down. Her survival plan was working until he dragged her down with him. Now on top of the Saiyan, she started to tickle him back in the same fashion; starting underneath the arms and going down to the ribs.

He was pounding the cold grass while laughing. "Okay, okay!" he was out of breath. "I forfeit!"

Chi-Chi crossed her arms over her chest and smirked. "That's what I thought."

Kakarot kept his smile while enjoying the sight of her in this position. She was making it more and more difficult to stay away from like he knew he should. He stroked the thigh that was on his stomach with the back of his knuckle and watched her face redden. "Hey," he husked. "Can I ask you something?"

Chi-Chi quivered at his touch but forced her tone not to get high pitched on her. "Depends. Can I answer it?"

"Maybe," he grunted as he sat up. She slid back slightly and was now on his sprawled-out legs. Kakarot used his forearms to support him while searching for her. Raditz made him think about something a lot. "Would someone like you ever want someone like me?"

The woman flushed. His hands weren't anywhere on her but she somehow felt them. Her skin was prickling underneath her clothing and it wasn't from the cold weather. Kakarot had all the traits she wanted in a man but there was always going to be one glaring issue. He was with the gang that killed her father. "I suppose if you weren't a Saiyan, I might have considered it."

Her response relieved him. He let out air he didn't realize he was holding in. The one part of him he wanted to rid of so badly was the only thing keeping them apart. "Do you at least consider me a friend?"

When Chi-Chi spoke, she could see her breathe. Her face after returning to its normal color was freezing up. "I'd like to think so."

They looked up at the same time when something came from the sky. Tiny snowflakes were falling down. As the first snow touched her nose, she sneezed. The sound she made when she did it was so cute it made Kakarot hug her again. "You're just too good to be true," he chuckled. "Don't get sick on me now."

Chi-Chi's cheek was smashed against his and he knew she was smiling from the way it felt. "It was just a little sneeze. I'll be fine."

* * *

That little sneeze turned out to be a whole lot more.

Unable to eat without airing her lungs out all over the place, Chi-Chi was growing weak and frail as days had passed since the first symptom began. No longer able to sit up, she was laying down inside the stagecoach sweating to death despite the frigid air seeping in and out. Kakarot had to stop moving more often to check on her. Her sudden illness was slowing everyone down.

There were days when she could see her father standing in the place of Kakarot when the doors would open up like he was calling her back home. She couldn't move without assistance and it was a struggle to drink any liquid. Her mouth was too dried out to speak. All she could do was lay there and sleep.

As Kakarot sat lonely in the front, it was hard for him to concentrate on the road ahead. Raditz was constantly looking over his shoulder to make sure he hadn't crashed into a boulder.

"Did Teach drink any of her water?"

"No," Kakarot had dark circles under his eyes. Whenever they had a chance to rest, he was woken up constantly at night by the sound of her coughing and vomiting. It scared him so much that he didn't dare fall asleep. "The bottle was full last time I checked. I don't understand how this happened. She was doing great a few days before."

"When you're not used to extreme weather it happens," Raditz decided to offer some encouragement seeing his brother's exhaustion. "She's tough. It'll be fine."

Chi-Chi certainly was tough, but the woman inside the stagecoach was forgetting that part of herself. Kakarot managed to smile slightly while keeping steady hands on the reins. "She told me something before she got sick. You ain't gonna believe it."

Raditz arched an eyebrow while slowing down his horse to match his brother's pace. "What was it?"

"Chi-Chi said if I wasn't a Saiyan she could see herself with me," Kakarot's despair he wore all week was replaced by smugness. "And she'd have all ten of my kids."

The long-haired one snorted. "I highly doubt she said that last part. But, good for you brother. There may be a chance for you yet."

Kakarot would give his sibling a bear hug if he could. When they had turned a corner, the breeze that was picking up began to blow ferociously. A flurry of snow brushed against their bandanas that covered everything but their eyes. Vegeta and Nappa were backtracking to where the brothers were, all four having the same inclination.

"A blizzard's gonna hit soon," Kakarot could feel his stomach-turning. A blizzard was never good, but with Chi-Chi being sick it was even worse. "We need to head somewhere flat and take shelter inside the stagecoach."

"You think the girl's contagious?"

Kakarot's eyes narrowed at Vegeta's question. "Does it really matter right now?"

Vegeta shrugged then gestured for him to lead the way to the low ground. The flurries continued to get in their way as they navigated the land. Once a safe spot was found, the horses were tied up and given blankets in hopes it would be warm enough to keep them alive until the storm passed.

When Kakarot opened the door of the stagecoach, Chi-Chi raised her arms up the best she could like she wanted him to hold her.

"Hi there, princess. A wicked storm is brewing and we're all gonna be spending some time together."

Her cheeks were beginning to sink in from her lack of calories. Even in her fragile state, Kakarot thought she was beautiful. He gathered her up in his arms and took her to a corner. Vegeta could detect the scent of death the moment he stepped foot inside the stagecoach. He avoided eye contact with the sick one and sat as far away as he could.

Raditz and Nappa rolled down the window covers and did their best to secure the fine fabric. Shutting themselves in didn't really matter. Despite all the body heat cramped inside the stagecoach, it remained freezing. In his corner, Kakarot held on tightly to Chi-Chi as her coughing from the mucus building in her throat was sounding more worst by the minute. Her body was burning and shivering at the same time even though she was stuck to him like glue.

As the stagecoach began to shake from the wild wind, Kakarot moved her onto his lap for extra security. He had wrapped her father's thick blanket around her but could still feel her heat stronger than ever. He pressed his forehead against the top of her head. "It's going to be okay, darling. Don't you worry."

His soothing voice brought her no comfort. She was barely hanging on. She never thought an illness would be the thing to do her in. Chi-Chi couldn't fight it like she had everything else. When she saw the hallucination of her daddy she knew it was getting close to the end. Her half-closed eyes roamed to Vegeta, who was bundled up in layers.

"Vegeta."

All four Saiyans looked at the girl when her voice croaked. The leader himself wasn't expecting her first word in days to be his name. His eyes were wide but his mouth was a straight line. Kakarot had to move his arm so she could weakly reach for the letter she kept in her breast. The folded paper trembled in her hand as she extended it towards Vegeta. With nothing left to give, Chi-Chi knew a final good deed would be to give a woman in crisis comfort even if it meant benefiting a man that took everything from her.

"It will make her happy. Bring it," she coughed. "To the Pony Express before it's too late."

Vegeta held in his breath as he gently took the letter from her hand. He didn't believe the severity of her condition until now. He nodded wordlessly, and that was enough for her. She didn't need his thanks as the favor wasn't for him.

Her pained eyes traveled upward to Kakarot, who was already looking at her. They met in the cruelest way possible but he had been nothing short of a gentleman with her. As strange as it sounded, he was her first true friend and she was beginning to see him differently. If she had more time, she wondered if he could have been the one someday after he left the Saiyans behind. She couldn't see the future, but she could give him what he had been wanting for a long time. Truth be told she wanted it, too.

Too far gone to care about the others watching, Chi-Chi used what was left of her strength to hold him by both sides of his bearded face. Kakarot's eyes were glistening and reflecting the strong attraction and affection she knew he had for her. Chi-Chi's colorless lips thanked him for everything he had done. Those large hands of his were holding on tightly to her hips so she wouldn't fall off. One of them moved up slowly to hold the back of her head to deepen their kiss. The kiss wasn't one of passion but of yearning and farewell.

It hurt.

Chi-Chi pulled away and rested her head immediately back on his chest, not wanting to see his expression. Her voice came out as a quiet whisper as she breathed into his collar. "I pray you to live the life you deserve to have. Thank you for everything."

Reading Vegeta's letter, the kiss, and now her words coming together finally made Kakarot snap out of his trance. His eyebrows scrunched together while his tone risen. "You're not dying here, Chi-Chi. You hear me?" he tightened his grip on her and shook gently. "Don't give up on me. We're getting you to Sunnybellow."

"I'm so tired..."

"Then rest," Kakarot swallowed back the lump he had in his throat while the stagecoach continued to get pounded by the unforgiving blizzard. "Close your eyes and rest. I'll take care of you."

Chi-Chi smiled small and let her exhaustion take her away. She had stopped talking, but Kakarot could feel her breathing. Raditz was crawling towards them to place an extra blanket over their cold bodies. He positioned himself on Chi-Chi's exposed side and rested himself against her to give her more warmth. Kakarot mouthed a 'thank you'.

Raditz reached his long arm over Chi-Chi to hold onto Kakarot's shoulder. "That's what brothers are for."

* * *

Birds chirping were signaling morning had come. Kakarot was up all night making sure Chi-Chi was alive. She was unresponsive but had a pulse. He remained holding onto her as Raditz opened the side door of the stagecoach. From what was showing, snow was covering what remained of the trail. He could hear his brother shouting as he explored their surroundings.

"Shit!"

"What is it?" Nappa was about to get up to see, but Raditz had returned with his hands in his hair.

"Two of the horses frozen to death and the others not looking good. The fat's in the fire now," Raditz shook his head and punched the stagecoach. "Ain't no way we're getting far without some help."

Kakarot looked over Chi-Chi's head to Vegeta, who was already gritting his teeth knowing what was going to be suggested. "We don't have a choice, Vegeta. You knew from the beginning we might need his help."

"No. Nope. Fuck that," the outlaw crossed his arms over his chest and refused to look up from his ragged boots. "I refuse to ask that bastard for anything. There has to be an alternative."

"It's our only option at this point," Kakarot's voice was calm and also stern. Chi-Chi needed medicine and warmth as soon as possible and there was a good chance the sheriff was still hot on their tail. "We're all gonna end up dying or jailed. Bulma needs you to return home. Can you put your hate aside, if not for us then for her?"

Vegeta growled loudly and pounded the empty spot next to him. Kakarot was always using her name to get what he wanted from him. " _Fine_ , but not a word to him about Bardock, the midget sheriff, and especially not Bulma. Understand?"

"Of course."

Still hanging in the doorway, Raditz clicked his tongue. "So... Are we heading to Frieza's then?"

"Yes," Vegeta spoke through gritted teeth. "We are going to Frieza's."


	10. Cold's Ridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unaware of the dangers that are about to unfold, Kakarot and Chi-Chi mend one another.

Entering Cold's Ridge was like knocking on death's door.

Vegeta couldn't see through the stagecoach windows that were still boarded up, but the way Raditz and Nappa slowed down was an indication they were being stopped. Kakarot could tell he was mad as a hornet to be back in this town. Lord Frieza was the one who killed Vegeta, Sr. for a deal gone wrong. It wasn't a wonder why Vegeta never retaliated. Frieza had a lot of gangs working for him behind the scenes since he didn't like to get his hands dirty. If they weren't already being hunted, killing Frieza would be the final nail in the coffin.

Frieza was a bad hoss, but when in a pinch he was worth befriending. Cold's Ridge was lawless and had everything an outlaw needed and more. It was the perfect stop when on the run. Frieza had the finest hotels, brothels, salons, shops, and just about everything else. Money ran big in the family and he received even more by manipulating others.

The Saiyans original members, which included Kakarot's father, got involved with Frieza when they were in a jam. It was all dandy until some cash was unaccounted for. One thing that was never allowed was stealing from Frieza. Vegeta's old man learned that the hard way.

Kakarot kept Chi-Chi safe in his arms when the stagecoach came to a full stop. "Are you going to be alright, Vegeta?"

The leader didn't say anything. He kept his jaw clenched and waited for the door to open. He could already hear the infamous laugh of the devil as he welcomed Raditz and Nappa. Vegeta felt his chest tightened when frigid air and sunlight entered the interior of the stagecoach.

In the doorway stood a man even shorter than Vegeta. He wore a white continental suit that he owned hundreds of. He ran a hand through his already slicked-back purple hair and chuckled at the Saiyan sending daggers in his direction.

"My, my, what do we have here? It's Vegeta, as I live and breathe," he grinned at the flame-haired Saiyan but received nothing back. Vegeta got up and brushed past him without a word. The man in white shrugged his shoulders while settling his eyes on Kakarot. "That one has a temper as his father did."

"Please forgive him Lord Frieza it has been a long trip," Kakarot hated the bastard too but never let it show. "We came to you seeking medical attention and supplies."

"Yes that brother of yours mentioned it outside," Frieza squatted down beside Kakarot so he could get a look at the woman in his arms. He poked and prodded her like she was a cattle up for sale. "Sake's alive, she's hanging on by a thread! I insist you take her to the hotel immediately. We'll discuss payment afterward. Come, follow me."

Kakarot and Frieza rose to their feet at the same time. "I surely appreciate the kindness," they exited the stagecoach. Kakarot glanced back at his brother and Frieza's men as he followed the lord's lead. He didn't like the way they were scavenging through the cases. He had an uneasy feeling that they were going to be left with nothing but the clothes on their back after this was all over.

"Tell me Kakarot," Frieza's long white cape was whipping around against the chilling breeze. "Is this woman your betrothed?"

The Saiyan instinctively tightened his grip on Chi-Chi. It was never good when Frieza started asking questions. "No, sir. Just a good friend we're helping along the way."

Frieza's hand twisted the knob of his hotel building but hadn't opened it yet. His eyes had narrowed although his smirk remained. "Along the way to where?"

Panicking, Kakarot said the first thing that popped into his head. "To search for gold."

The short man's smirk widened into a grin and he threw his head back while laughing. Even though he was unsure of what was so funny, Kakarot chuckled nervously back. "My dear boy," Frieza opened the door at last and gestured for the Saiyan to enter first. "You truly enjoy getting your hands dirty, don't you?"

When Kakarot didn't know what to say, he was always told it was best to stay silent. Frieza got their room keys from the concierge and the three traveled down the long corridor. The Lord stood in the doorway and watched as Kakarot tucked Chi-Chi into the bed. It didn't go unnoticed that he brushed the girl's hair out of her face and even tucked a strand behind her ear.

Someone clearly so precious to him would make for a fine payment indeed.

"I'll go fetch the doctor."

* * *

Chi-Chi opened her eyes slowly when her nose was detecting the scent of potato soup. Instead of dying in the stagecoach, she had awoken in a bedroom fancier than the one at Aces. She lifted her head up to see Kakarot slumped in a chair snoozing. The bowl of soup was steaming on the stand nearby, and the smell continued to make her stomach grumble.

Her appetite had returned.

She attempted to reach for the spoon, but her arm was too shaky. The clanking sound she was creating startled Kakarot and he nearly fell out of the chair. His face relaxed when he saw her movement.

"Hi, darling. How are you feeling?"

"Hungry," she spoke weakly but smiled. "Where are we?"

"Cold's Ridge. It's safe enough for us to stay awhile as you get your energy back," Kakarot knelt down so he was near her face. He put his hand on her smooth cheek and massaged her skin with his thumb. "There's a lord here who goes by Frieza. He did business with my pops back in the day. He owns the entire town."

It didn't really matter who owned the town. She was just grateful to be alive and warm. "Was everything okay after the blizzard?"

"Lost some horses, but as far as people go we're just fine," he leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Wanna try to eat a little something? The doctor said if you hold it down it's a good sign."

Chi-Chi nodded her head and opened her mouth wide. She didn't remember a doctor inspecting her. She didn't remember a thing after kissing Kakarot on the stagecoach. Kakarot spoon-fed her the liquid after blowing on it. She swallowed and the warmth trickled down her aching throat. "Mmm," she moaned slightly and smacked her lips together. "That's the best potato soup I've ever had."

Kakarot was the happiest he had been in weeks while he continued to feed her until the bowl was empty. Seeing her eat meant she was going to be okay. "You want some more?"

"Maybe in a little bit," she went onto her side and closed her eyes after yawning. "I'm so sleepy now."

Kakarot went back into the chair and kicked his feet up on the bed. Three days had passed by and he only left her side to get what she might need. He took the paper with the letters written in her handwriting, prepared to study them once she was resting. "I'll be right here if you need me."

* * *

"Hi, Mr. Vegeta! I haven't seen you in years!"

The outlaw handed the youngest rider of the Pony Express his stamped envelope for Bulma. He slipped him some money as well, to which the rider tucked in his pocket. "Be sure to make this your top priority, Cabba."

"Yes, sir!" the kid saluted Vegeta out of the respect he had for him. "Anything else I can do for you?"

"Got any cigarettes?" Cabba handed him the two that were in his pocket and Vegeta patted his back. "Good boy." Shit, he wouldn't mind having a son if they were as obedient as the mail carrier was. He lit up a stick and took a drag while watching the boy ride off on his horse.

He needed a good smoke after being stuck in this hellhole for a week. Raditz and Nappa were treating it like it was some sort of welcome home party while Kakarot was at that woman's beck and call. They were all too moronic to know Frieza's maniacal tendencies don't just disappear overnight. Their lives were in danger as the days went on.

Vegeta kicked up the snow that was underneath his boot. As promised, he refused to utter a word to the bastard. The beef they had was hashed the day Frieza killed his father. The draw of the guns was fair and Vegeta was ashamed of his father's slower hand. He took an angry puff on his cigarette. It didn't matter that they promised to stay out of one another's way after that. Vegeta wanted to kill the motherfucker in cold blood.

If only doing so wouldn't cost his life. It was one thing to be on the run from the law. When it came to associates of Frieza, it was difficult to know who or what was coming for you. Vegeta had to think about more than himself now and the risk just wasn't worth taking.

"I see you're as friendly as ever."

Vegeta's nonsmoking hand was on his holster hearing the familiar voice coming from behind. "Fuck off, Zarbon. I'm not in the mood for the bullshit."

Zarbon was what the Saiyans called a high-falutin' sonuvabitch. He claimed to have what it takes to survive on the trail but never once left Cold's Ridge. He bathed every single day and had a special call girl that braided his hair.

"Still mad as a March hare about the gunfight, eh?" Zarbon bit his lip but then released the laugh he thought he could hold back. "I know you Saiyans have the reputation of being hideous, but that poncho is without a shadow of a doubt an eyesore. Here I thought you could afford something nicer."

Vegeta blew smoke at Zarbon's face, making the green-haired 'cowboy' cough. "Once again, fuck off."

Frieza's right-hand man waved his hand around to clear the air as Vegeta walked away. "You better watch who you're talking to, Vegeta!" he coughed and called out to him. "You're gonna regret it!"

The Saiyan walked in the direction of the saloon that Raditz and Nappa were last seen in. Zarbon's threats didn't scare him. It only made him want to drink. As Vegeta entered through the double doors, the warm atmosphere was much different from the outside. Nappa had just been cleaned out at the poker table and was drowning his sorrows with whiskey. He saw his partner coming and called for another.

"You having as crappy of a night as I am?"

Vegeta downed his glass in one take and slammed it down on the table. "As soon as the girl's above snakes we need to get out of here. I'm going to end up killing one of them."

Nappa knew he was being serious. All the Saiyans hated Frieza and had the same thought constantly, but none were crazy enough to act upon it. "You just need another drink."

"What I _need_ is for everyone to stop being so fucking dimwitted," Vegeta glared at the empty seat beside Nappa. It made him uneasy for them to be separated in a place like this. "Where the hell did Raditz go off to?"

The bald one leaned back in his chair and searched the saloon. He figured Raditz would be getting some pussy but he was heading in their direction holding something else entirely. "Uh... he's coming this way. He has someone's baby."

"What the _fuck_?"

Raditz sat down and extended the infant towards his cursing leader. "Remember Zucchi? This is her and Quash's baby! Cute, ain't she!? Thought you could try her out for practice before you see your little one."

It wasn't often that Vegeta turned red, but when he did it went all over. Nappa and Raditz stifled their laughter as he began spewing off a mixture of insults and curse words. The baby girl was clapping her chubby hands excitedly thinking he was the funniest thing ever.

"Aw come on," Raditz teased again and continued to hold the baby out to him. "I bet you've never held a baby a day in your life."

"He's right," Nappa chimed in and nudged the shorter Saiyan. "Imagine how surprised your sweetheart's gonna be knowing how hard you've been trying to be a good daddy."

While Vegeta was trying to decide who he was going to shoot first, the baby gripped his nose tightly and yanked on the flared out nostrils. He snarled and snatched the baby from Raditz. The anger he felt almost immediately lessened when he realized how light she was. Little spit bubbles were coming out of her mouth and her legs were bouncing up and down on their own as he put her in his lap.

As she made the coos that most babies do, Vegeta's tension faded. Was this what babies were? Tiny saddlebags of shits and giggles? For a moment, he tried picturing the baby with blue hair and then shook the thought away. He could hear the mother calling for the return of her child. Raditz pinched the bridge of his nose when Vegeta strolled across the saloon holding the baby by its foot.

Unbeknownst to them, a man in white was watching from upstairs. How very peculiar to see Vegeta entertaining these antics. None of the reasons they claimed they were there made sense at all. He took a sip from his wine glass and swirled what remained of the red liquid around.

"Dodoria."

The stout man was absentmindedly admiring his sharp knife when he heard his name. He put it inside his pocket and cleared his throat before joining his boss's side. "Yes, Lord Frieza?"

"I want you to find out where those dirty monkeys are really headed," Frieza had a feeling he already knew and it had something to do with Bardock. "And what they've done. Stab it out of them if you have to."

* * *

Chi-Chi's eyes nearly rolled to the back of her head as she ate another bite of the juicy lobster. She should have taken it slow by eating liquids only, but she could smell the crustacean being cooked from the first night she stayed in the extravagant hotel room. It had felt like forever since she had such a delicacy. As she finished off her plate, she rubbed her stomach in satisfaction.

The best part was that she enjoyed the meal in bed.

"I'm taking you liked it?"

Chi-Chi wiped the corners of her mouth while smiling. Kakarot removed the plate from her lap and placed it on top of the drawer. "It was divine! I can't believe they had some way out here that tasted that good."

"Let's just say Frieza wants the best of everything so he'll get it one way or another," Kakarot chuckled and gestured to the lumps that were her legs under the comforter. "Now that I know your stomach is working fine, time to see how your legs work. The doc said you need to get them moving before your bones quit on ya."

Right when he said it, Chi-Chi realized she hadn't walked or bathed in weeks. She wasn't sure which was worse. How horrifying she must look. It didn't help that Kakarot was clean-shaven and as handsome as a devil. He moved aside when she began shifting her body towards the edge of the bed. She took a deep breath and stood up on her own. A second later, her legs trembled madly and she fell to her knees. It was as if her legs were made of wet noodles; there was a chance her muscles deteriorated after laying down for weeks.

"I don't think I'm ready..."

"Aw, stop!" Kakarot lifted her up so she could stand with some support. "You just need to keep trying. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Chi-Chi swallowed hard while blinking her long eyelashes at him. There was one thing she really needed but wasn't sure if it was appropriate to ask. Had he proven himself enough of a gentleman to not take a peep? "Well... I would like to take a bath. It's been a while."

"You can't even tell!" Kakarot lied through his teeth. As beautiful as Chi-Chi was, her scent wasn't. "There's a tub through that other door. I'll just need to get some hot water from downstairs to fill it up with."

"Sounds good," she could feel her face burning at her next thought and shook her head to get it out. "Can you promise to help me in and then help me out after without staring?"

Now _that_ was going to be difficult. He was used to turning his back whenever she cleaned herself in the rivers on the trail, but now he was going to be feeling her bare skin. He bit his lips as a shiver ran down his spine. "You have my word," he cleared his throat when his voice came out in a funny, uneven tone. "I'll be right back." Before he headed out the door, he helped lower her back onto the edge of the bed.

Chi-Chi sighed once the door shut. She hated the feeling of being so co-dependent. She pounded her fists onto her thighs. "Come on, come on, work for me! Stay strong," she grunted as she tried standing up on her own once more. She flailed her arms around while regaining balance. It hurt, but she was doing it. She winced while walking to the washroom. It took about five minutes per step. Her hands pressed against the wall of the washroom for support when she almost fell down.

Looking over her shoulder at the mirror, Chi-Chi couldn't believe the woman in her reflection. Her long hair was matted and crusty from the vomit bouts, as well as greasy from not being washed. Her jawline was more prominent after losing weight. She was gaunt and pale, resembling the reaper. A tear ran down her cheek at how much she had changed.

She inhaled and exhaled slowly. There still had to be that tough ol' girl in there somewhere. Chi-Chi pushed herself off the wall and removed the dirty white chemise from her body, shaking all the while. She forced herself to turn around and look at herself full frontal. Her ribs and hip bones were showing more than before, but everything else seemed normal.

Chi-Chi could hear Kakarot whistling to himself as he entered the room again. She grabbed the flour sack towel from the rack nearby and covered herself with it. Kakarot was too busy trying not to spill the two large buckets of steamy water to notice her at first. When he was done filling up the tub, he stood up and clapped his hands.

"That should do it! Let me know if you...ah..." Kakarot dropped the empty bucket to the floor when he turned around to see her standing there. The towel she had on stopped barely above where her thighs began. Her nipples were poking through the fine fabric. Her mouth was moving but he couldn't hear what she was saying. He had to face the tub before she could notice his arousal.

"Kakarot! I said you could go now! I think I can get in on my own."

"Yes ma'am," the washroom was getting too hot for him, anyway. He was side-walking to the exit without looking at her again. "Just let me know if you need more water."

"I actually need some soap to wash my hair-"

Kakarot closed the door and pressed his back against it, trying to control his breathing. That vision he just experienced was making his heart race something awful. He couldn't control the tightening of his pants like he was a teen visiting his first whorehouse. He was trying to picture anything else to get her body out of his mind. Blood and guts, horses and puppies, Nappa in that same towel...

That did it.

He blew air out his mouth that made the few pieces of hair on his forehead go up. He was ready to bring her the soap he had left outside the bedroom door. Holding the items she needed, Kakarot entered the washroom. He froze seeing her head remerge from underneath the water. She smiled coyly at him while extending a dripping arm out.

"I can't do anything with it if it stays in your hands."

_Nappa in a towel, Nappa in a towel, Nappa in a towel..._

Kakarot was able to close the distance and drop the soap in her hand. He was attempting to make a hasty retreat back to safety, but she threw the soap into the tub and grabbed his fingers to stop him.

"Would you mind helping me clean my hair? The parts I can't see I really want to get all the nastiness out."

She _had_ to know what she was doing to him but had asked so innocently. Kakarot groaned quietly and went behind her. At least this way, he was only looking at the back of her head. She reached a hand back to give him the soap and he began scrubbing her hair until it was clean. He closed his eyes when she dipped her head back under the water again. He knew her breasts were going to be floating in plain sight if he looked and he was already close enough to have a heart attack.

"Does it look like it's all gone?"

"Yes ma'am. Is that all?" He was desperate to leave.

Chi-Chi twisted herself around so she could look at him. There were enough suds in the tub to cover everything below her neck. "I think that'll be it, cowboy," she winked, already feeling better. "I wish there was a way I could pay you back for bringing me back to life."

Oh, he had plenty of ideas of how she could repay him. He shrugged it off and winked back. "Just keeping my promise to ya."

The two's gaze for one another lingered. Chi-Chi was well aware of the kiss she had given him on the stagecoach and the feelings that caused it. There had never been a man giving her this much attention and care. The way his dark eyes were burning into hers was making her feel a sensation she always fought against. The steam surrounding them still wasn't enough to break their contact.

"I..." Chi-Chi was dizzy. "I think it's time to get out."

Kakarot stood at the side of the tub with his back facing her. The mirror he was looking out was fogged up good so he couldn't see her reflection. "I'm right here if you need me."

She took a deep breath and used her arms to push her upward. She grabbed the back of Kakarot's vest to assist her in straightening up. At the same, her foot slipped on the bar of soap. She screamed and brought Kakarot into the soapy water with her as she fell back in. The water splashed out and soaked the floor as Kakarot flopped around in the tub. Once he stopped, he had Chi-Chi pinned under him.

She was mortified. Her legs were wide open with him inside. A lot of the water had gone out of the tiny tub that her chest was now exposed. Thankfully, he was only looking at her face.

"You alright?"

The corners of their lips curled at the same time, and laughter at their embarrassment erupted soon after. The sound echoed throughout the small washroom. Chi-Chi regained her composure after blinking away some tears that had formed. "You're not mad that I ruined your clothes?"

"Why would I ever get mad at you?" Kakarot searched her expression to see if she was serious about that question. Her pupils were dilated and her lips were in a pout as if she wanted something done to them. His voice lowered into a whisper while he hung his head, feeling defeated. "Oh, darling... I wish you wouldn't do this to me."

Chi-Chi's wandering eye traveled to his biceps. His white sleeves were drenched and revealing his flexed muscles. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about..." she murmured and then gulped when she looked at his face again. Kakarot's usual sweet eyes were replaced with need and hunger. They were putting her in a trance, making her arms dropdown.

"You just wait until we're married. I'll be on you like bees to honey."

Her body jolted on its own at his sinful tone. Her thin eyebrows knitted together underneath her wet bangs, and her rosiness was caused by a mixture of anger and unwanted attraction. "You shouldn't speak to a dignified woman that way! What's the matter with you!?"

His lips were hovering near her own. "I didn't realize I said that aloud. I do apologize, Chi-Chi."

They were breathing each other's air as Chi-Chi whispered to him. "You know I'm not staying with you. Please don't think such things when they'll never happen," she didn't mean for the words to come out so harshly, but she didn't want him to be disillusioned. "I already told you."

"I don't believe you."

Chi-Chi's eyes widened at his crass response. He had the nerve to be _smirking_ at her with a raised brow as if he were daring her to challenge him. "W-Well," she was stuttering and tongue-tied, which only made his smirk grow. "You better! I would never in my life marry a Saiyan!"

"But you sure like kissing one, don't you?"

"That's it, you chuckleheaded cowboy!" Releasing a growl, Chi-Chi's arms shot up from the water and shoved his chest until he was at the other end of the tub. He reached up and held her hands tightly before they could start slapping him around. Against all odds, his gaze remained on her despite what part of her was gloriously exposed above his head.

Kakarot's smile was flirtatious as he lowered her hands. "I dander you up pretty good, don't I? Those blazing eyes of yours..." He let go of her hands and jumped out of the tub before she could grab him. His clothes were stuck to his skin. Water covered the floor where he walked to get the towel she had on earlier. He stood at the edge and spread his arms out like an eagle for her to come into him. "Come on, princess. You're gonna get sick all over again if you stay in there."

Chi-Chi grumbled something incoherent but stood up anyway. Her adrenaline from earlier was allowing her legs to be still. As soon as she stepped out, he wrapped the thick cloth around her body and hugged her from behind. His chin dropped down to rest on her shoulder as he swayed them gently.

"I'm so happy you're alive. You were hanging on by the skin of your teeth."

Chi-Chi took in a deep breath and touched the arms that were protectively around her now covered chest. As much as he drove her crazy, he brought her back to life and she was grateful. "You know how to rile me up, but you sure are someone to be counted on. Thank you."

Kakarot kissed her cheek before she could do anything about it and let her go. He scratched his head while turning in circles. "No extra towel in here. Mind getting one from the closet? I can't go on account of you wetting my boots. Don't wanna scuff up the fancy carpet."

It was the least she could do. Chi-Chi smiled to herself noticing her movements were faster and stronger than before as she headed to the closet. She found the towel he needed and went back to the washroom just as normal as before.

"Here you-...go..."

He had just finished undoing the last button of his shirt when she entered and he tossed in haphazardly on the wet floor. Unlike her, Kakarot kept up with his diet while on the trail and his muscles proved that. She had seen him with his shirt off before but never paid attention to the defined set of abs or how broad he was in the shoulders and chest. There were droplets of water that highlighted each portion. He was about to pull down his pants and stopped when he noticed her. They were down just enough that she could see a deep 'v' shape muscle running from his hips to his pelvic bone.

"I can't do anything if it stays in your hands."

Chi-Chi shook her head when she heard him repeat the words she told him earlier. He was winking at her. Her red face looked to the side as she walked the towel over to him. "You could have told me you were undressing. I would've left it at the door."

There was the sound of laughter and the rest of his clothing falling off. She could feel him tugging at the towel and she released it. "I didn't take you as the perverted type to take a peep."

Chi-Chi huffed and finally looked at him. The towel was secure just below his waist but still revealing that damn Adonis belt she didn't know he had. "And I didn't know you were a mail-order cowboy."

"A what?" he chuckled again and pinched her chin as he walked by. "You're so silly."

Chi-Chi glanced down at the clothes he ditched while following him out of the washroom. Her chemise had been ruined when Kakarot fell in the tub. The clothes couldn't be air-dried, either. Day or night, the temperatures were at or below freezing. She was thankful for the warmth of the hotel room that came from a fireplace. She felt the heat as soon she entered the bedroom once more.

"Do you have a change of clothes?"

"Not with me. When I hear Raditz outside, I'll have him grab some," he stood with his hands in front of the fireplace and smiled down at her when she joined his side. "I'll make sure he gets some for you, too."

She frowned. She really didn't want to be in just a towel any longer. "What happened to the dress I had when we got here?"

"The doc suggested burning it just in case. We should rid of that thin you had on. At the time I just didn't want you all exposed while they worked on ya."

"Oh...thank you," she found herself inching slightly closer to him. Her mouth gaped at the flickering of the flames. "I've never seen a hotel room with a fireplace in all my days. This Frieza person must be the richest man in the states."

"You have no idea. I'll show you around the town tomorrow if you're up for it," Kakarot stretched his arms behind his back and yawned. "Vegeta's been itching to get the hell up on out of here, though. Once he sees you're kickin', he'll wanna head out. Hope you don't mind."

She didn't want to head out of the warmth at all, but had a bad feeling the longer they stayed the worse their situation would be. Kakarot had to be at Devil's Pass in three months and she needed the idea of Sunnybellow and comfort as soon as possible. "I'll go to sleep now so I can rest up for the trip."

Kakarot's eyes followed her as she laid down on the mattress. It was the first night since they got here that she was active. He had been sleeping beside her every night without her knowing. A woman like that might not like the idea of him staying there now. "You go ahead and sleep, princess. I'll see you in the morning." His hand was on the knob but couldn't turn it when he heard her speak softly.

"Why don't you stay?"

He blinked at the door, unsure if he heard that right. Maybe the medication made her delirious. "Are you aware of what you're asking me?"

"Yes," Chi-Chi knew how filthy it sounded, but she didn't have the heart to kick him out after catching him slumped over the other day. "Don't look at me like that. You need to stay above the comforter."

Within seconds, his face was close to hers as he laid beside her. They were both on their sides. "Look how sweet on me you are," he teased and rested the side of his face on his folded hands. "And you said you won't marry me."

"I won't," she scowled. "And I'm not! I just felt sorry for you is all."

"Glad to see you're back," he continued to smile and could see it was making her expression soften up. "Your temper was sorely missed."

Chi-Chi rolled her eyes while he closed his and chuckled. After there was no sound save the crackling of the fire, Chi-Chi figured he had fallen asleep. She studied his features. He had no trace of stubble or cut on him, showing he was good with a razor. She secretly found the beard attractive, but his fresh face was the best. It made her nauseous that there was a growing appreciation of his looks that was peaking tonight. His hands resting under his head were calloused and she had felt them many times before. It was a sign of a hard worker.

"Kakarot?"

He had been feeling her eyes on him. He opened his own slowly. "Yes ma'am?"

"What did you do before joining a gang? For work?"

"Farm work mostly. Sometimes I'd help Pops build houses. Why you ask?"

"Just curious," she really was. "Is that...how you got your body? Uhm, I mean your hands..."

Kakarot's eyes lit up when she struggled to say it. He never thought she'd notice anything about him, or at least admit it. "You could say that. I really like lifting and fighting, too."

"Fighting?" Chi-Chi blinked. "Like bare-knuckled boxing or just being a ruffian?"

"Just for entertainment purposes. I like the way it makes me feel," Kakarot grinned while thinking of a few good memories with old friends. "Not beating someone senseless but losing. I like knowing I can always improve. I loved when I fought someone stronger than me."

"Did that start before or after you joined the Saiyans?"

"Hm...I reckon all my born days I've been enjoying it. Raditz and I use to get into it good," Kakarot laughed and turned to look at the ceiling. "I remember this one time, we left each other so dang bloody that it made Ma madder than a wet hen. She had us out there cutting grass with scissors until there was nothing left."

Chi-Chi found herself smiling as he lost himself in thoughts of his childhood. "You were really close to your mother, weren't you?"

"Yeah. I miss her a lot."

She knew he mentioned once that was buried near the old ranch he lived in. Chi-Chi hesitated to ask her next question, unsure if it would hurt him to say. "Kakarot?"

"Yes ma'am?" he was on his side and facing her again. The only light in the room came from the fireplace. He could see that her hair was beginning to dry and would soon be returning to its usual shine.

"How'd she come to pass?"

Kakarot inhaled and exhaled slowly. He always avoided conversation about her death because the details were still so fresh in his mind. Every time he talked about it, he had to relive it. He knew Chi-Chi had to sense this when she placed a warm hand on his face.

"It's alright, Kakarot. You don't have to tell me."

Looking into those sweet eyes of hers made him feel safe. In this large bedroom with just the two of them, he was free to open up to her. It was difficult to swallow before he told her his truth. "She was shot and killed by a man Pops robbed a few days prior. He was looking to settle the score," Kakarot winced and brought himself up to sit at the edge. Chi-Chi's hand that slipped from him lingered in the air still, not wanting to have let go. "I...Damnit all..."

Not minding that the towel had fallen off her, Chi-Chi sat up and moved until she was behind him. He was holding his face in his hands and trying to control his breathing. She started rubbing his back in hopes it would make him ease up. She was about to apologize for even bringing it up, but he continued talking into his hands.

"I saw it all. I went into the kitchen for some milk and..." His body began rocking back and forth. His mom was pleading with the man to spare their lives, to take anything else he pleased. The man caught sight of him and pulled the trigger immediately, but she stepped in and took the bullet meant for him. It bought him enough time to grab the gun from the counter and return the sinful deed. "I was only ten years old and...and..."

Chi-Chi hopped to his side as quickly as he could and allowed him to clutch onto her. Feeling numb and lightheaded, Kakarot dropped his head into the nape of her neck and she felt his tears and runny nose on her skin. The rest of his body she was holding onto was sweaty. It was hard to understand him, but Chi-Chi could make out a few words.

"...it ruined my life forever..."

She began kissing his head repeatedly. It physically hurt to see him like this. He was letting go of what he had been holding onto for so long. Images of her father's dead body were popping into her own mind while comforting a child of grief. She looked up at the dark ceiling to fight back the tears that were beginning to form. "Shh," she rocked them and sniffed. "You're not alone. You have someone right here that understands."

Kakarot, with his face red and eyes puffy, slowly brought himself up to look at her when her voice cracked. Through all his years of suffering in silence, he never thought his misery would find the company in such a beautiful person. His face scrunched up all over again knowing she did nothing to deserve such pain. "Chi-Chi..."

They switched places. Now feeling her mixture of saliva, snot, and tears on his chest, Kakarot fell onto the floor with her. In each other's arms, they sat there with their emotions out on display for both to witness. When both had quieted down after a while, Chi-Chi wiped her eyes with her bare wrist and pulled back from his slightly.

"Can you cuddle me to sleep?"

She didn't need an explanation as to why she wanted it. Kakarot would do it regardless for he needed it, too. He cleared his throat and lifted her up in his arms. "Say less darling," he smiled small while making eye contact just before placing her on the bed. "You know I toss around something awful at night, right?"

"I've seen it. It won't bother me."

They both released a ragged sigh as they got close as possible the minute they were between the sheets. The fire had died out, but they kept each other warm the rest of the night.

* * *

"You think she croaked?"

"I don't know. Kakarot never misses breakfast."

With Vegeta and Nappa behind him, Raditz stuck the spare key into the door of the room Chi-Chi was recovering in. It was well past noon and there was no hide or messy hair of the younger brother. As they entered the doorway, it was clear as day the reason why.

Both Kakarot and Chi-Chi were snoring so loudly that they didn't hear the other Saiyans come in. Chi-Chi was on her side with her arms crossed on top of Kakarot's head. His nose and eyes were blocked by her bare breasts. One of his hands was just below his mouth, catching his pool of drool. His other hand was holding onto her ass that was covered by the thick blanket.

Raditz's eyes shifted to the ceiling while he shook his head in disbelief. Kakarot finally saw how the cat jumped. "That little shit actually did it..."

Vegeta glanced at the washroom to see clothes thrown all over. He went in to check the water that was left inside the tub. The temperature was nice and cold. Nappa had finally looked away from the tits Kakarot was inhaling to see Vegeta holding the bucket. "Aw, hell. There's a nicer way to wake 'em up, you know."

"He shouldn't have kept me waiting."


	11. Life's a Dance; Sometimes You Lead, Sometimes You Follow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chi-Chi quickly finds out there's more to worry about at Cold's Ridge than her explicit dreams of Kakarot. Meanwhile, Vegeta finds trust in someone he never thought he would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art by the amazing rutisfree on twitter :-)

_"What are you planning on doing to me?" Chi-Chi whimpered as the outlaw closed in on her. He had already tied her wrists behind her back with a tight rope and was now lowering himself down to her legs. Two large and calloused hands ran up from her ankles and stopped at her knees. She was fighting against his effort to pry them open but lost the battle._

_"What I should've done from the start, princess."_

_His messy spikes disappeared underneath her dress. She found herself spreading her legs more for him as his lips kissed and nipped at her inner thighs. The back of her head hit the wall of the stagecoach when he sucked on the tender skin. If her hands were free, she would force him onto the spot she needed him the most._

_"Please," Chi-Chi's voice was desperate and he responded by slipping his hands under to grip her ass. His hold on her was tight, prepared to give her what she was begging for. "I've been waiting for this all day."_

_"Just say the words," his hot breath against her caused her hips to arch slightly, bringing her even closer to his mouth. "And I'll have you seeing stars."_

_She couldn't take it anymore. His teeth were on the fine fabric that was preventing him from getting to her wetness. Aching all over, Chi-Chi moaned out. "I love you, Kakarot!"_

_He let out an animalistic growl and pulled her underwear down._

Vegeta froze with the bucket of water raised up to his shoulders. He was about to throw it on the snoozing couple, but the girl started moaning and groaning like a leper. Raditz arched an eyebrow as she started twitching.

"I wouldn't get her cold again if I were you. The meds must still be trying to kick in."

That didn't explain why she was muttering Kakarot's name and lowering her hands underneath the sheets. She had flipped over and left Kakarot on his back, snoring louder than ever. Vegeta shrugged and grabbed the now free Saiyan's head. He brought him to the edge and dunked his face in the water until Kakarot started flailing his arms. Vegeta let go of his hair and stepped back as Kakarot spit up water.

"What the hell!" he coughed and jumped to his feet, naked as a jailbird. He glared at Vegeta who threw the towel on the floor at him. As he wrapped it around his torso, Kakarot looked over his shoulder to make sure Chi-Chi was covered up. She was a lump in the bed, wriggling but still asleep through all the commotion. He lowered his voice but kept an angry tone. "What are you guys doing in here!?"

"Here I was taking my sweet time because I thought the angelica was dying, and you're in here knocking boots. Put some fucking pants on and let's go."

Kakarot was both frowning and blushing red at the assumption. To be fair, their bare skin made it believable. "We weren't havin' relations!"

Raditz crossed his muscular arms over his chest and gave his brother a knowing look. "Why's Teach over there saying your name then?"

The youngest one's skin prickled when finally heard her moans. They were faint but strangely of pleasure. What on earth was she dreaming about? Kakarot shook his wet head wildly, knowing that whatever it was the guys shouldn't be around to witness it. Burning up, he held the door open widely for them to leave. "Can I have a minute to gather my bearings without you bums breathing down my neck!?"

Rolling his eyes, Vegeta was the first to walk out. "Be outside in an hour or I'm coming back with something stronger than water." Nappa was right behind him, giving Kakarot a thumbs up while laughing.

"Looks like there's something brewing atween you after all. I'm impressed!"

Kakarot opened his mouth to correct him, but both he and Vegeta were already down the hall. Raditz stopped in front of him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Was it everything you hoped for?"

"Raditz!" Kakarot groaned and threw his head back against the door. He didn't want to tell him they cried all night and held each other because of it, but he also didn't want them believing Chi-Chi was some sort of painted lady. "I didn't lay with her. Please don't tell her nothing. I don't want her to be uncomfortable again."

Raditz searched his brother's face as the woman in the bed sighed happily. If he didn't fuck her, he did something to make her want to. No matter what the truth was, it was their business and their business only. "I'll convince them to stay quiet around her. You need anything?"

"Clothes?"

"For both of you?"

"Yeah," Kakarot smiled, already knowing his brother would take care of everything that was stressing him out. "Mind finding some pants for Chi-Chi? She really likes 'em."

"Sure," Raditz returned the smile but not as big. "I'll knock twice and leave it outside."

Kakarot thanked him before shutting the door. He put his hands on his hips watching Chi-Chi snoring peacefully with a smile on her face. The medication was either strong enough to keep her sleeping through any noise, or she just didn't want to wake up from her dreams. He cleared his throat and coughed a few times to see if she would crack an eye open.

Smiling when she didn't, he crawled back into bed with her. His nose touched hers while he caressed her face. The touch is what finally got her alert. Her eyes opened slowly and she raised her hand up to hold onto his wrist gently.

"G'mornin', Chi-Chi. Sleep well?"

His groggy voice brought back a recent vision she just experienced. She was extremely thankful he couldn't read minds. Never in her life had she had a dirty dream up until now. It felt _so_ real. She had no idea why she would even have a dream like that. The carnal act Kakarot performed was strictly taboo. What kind of woman would let a man go down on her in the back of a stagecoach? She flushed at the thought of it and bit her lip.

"Mmhm. You?"

"Not as good as you," he winked. "That must have been some dream you were having, huh?"

Her pale face turned as red as a rose. She prayed the sweat forming on her eyebrows wasn't as noticeable as it felt. "W-what dream? I'm afraid I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Pretty sure you were hollering my name, 'less there's another Kakarot you know."

Screaming internally, Chi-Chi turned herself over so she was facing the window. She could feel his eyes in the back of her head, waiting for a response. "You were, uh...reading a book. A big one."

"Really!?"

His excitement made her turn back over. "Yeah. I was cheering you on."

"Aw, you looked so happy! I was doing one heck of a job!"

"You sure were," Chi-Chi laughed nervously and wanted to change the subject as soon as possible. "There's an awful lot of light coming in from the window. Is it late?"

"It's past noon, so I'd say so!" he chuckled when her eyes widened. "Don't worry. Raditz went to get us some clothes and we'll head out of town."

Chi-Chi frowned. She wasn't mentally prepared to deal with the harsh trail quite yet. "I thought you said you were going to show me around?"

"Yeah, but-" Kakarot closed his mouth when her frown deepened. That look on her face was changing his mind. "Oh, what the heck. Vegeta can deal with one more day."

Chi-Chi was grinning again and there was a knock on the door. She watched as Kakarot got up to answer it. Seeing the towel wrapped around his waist caused her to look under the sheets. Her towel was somewhere down by her feet. She gulped, wondering if Kakarot had caught a glimpse of anything waking up before her.

"Looks like we've got some nice layers here!" Kakarot had a pile of clothing in his arms and dropped them onto the chair. "You think you'll need any help changing?"

He asked innocently, so Chi-Chi kept her voice neutral. "No," but there was something else bothering her. Falling asleep with her hair wet left it a tangled rat's nest. "Do you think you could help me brush my hair though?"

Kakarot nodded and disappeared into the washroom where she had left the brush last night. She quickly snatched the towel up and made sure it was secure before sitting up. She inhaled sharply when she discovered there was still wetness down below from her little unwanted fantasy.

_"I'm going to make you scream like last time."_

"HUH!?"

"I have the brush," Kakarot was setting himself up behind her and blinked at her messy black strands. "Are you doing alright, Chi-Chi?"

She squirmed to make the sensation go away but it wasn't working. She'd just have to suffer through it. "I'm fine," she muttered. "You really don't mind doing this for me?"

"Nope!" Kakarot was being honest. She had a whole lotta hair and a whole lotta tangles. "It'll be a great arm workout! Do I just brush it normal or is there a special way?"

"Normal," Chi-Chi couldn't believe his sweetness sometimes. She was definitely going to have to get him to read a big book in actuality. "Just don't be too rough."

"Relax, darling. You've got a man who knows how to use a slow hand."

Oh, didn't she know it. Chi-Chi concentrated on her breathing and just about anything else she could as he gently brushed through her hair. He did have an easy touch despite being so strong. "You have any idea in mind what we're going to do today?"

"Well, we're definitely gonna eat. I'm starving!" Kakarot continued to work through the tangles. "Then I'll show you some of my favorite spots. Sound good?"

Chi-Chi nodded and let him keep detangling in silence. Once he pulled back, she knew he was done. She ran her fingers through her hair to double-check and then raised her eyebrows in approval. "Wow, mighty fine job cowboy! Thank you!"

Kakarot leaned to admire what he fixed and then gave her back a quick rub. She had to get out of that towel soon before he lost his mind. "Alrighty. Let's get ready. I ain't letting you step foot outside this hotel without every single piece on."

He was serious about it, too. Shortly after they had both gotten dressed, Kakarot was continuing to wrap different materials around her until she could barely put down her arms. He made sure the hat on her head was on low enough to cover her ears. Her legs were already sweaty with the thick pants she was given and now he was placing gloves much less sophisticated than the ones she was used to on her small hands. Her holster with Kakarot's gun was covered by a long wool coat.

"This is a bit overkill, don't you think?"

"Better to have too much than too little," Kakarot took a step back and observed her from head to toe. Feeling comfortable with what he saw, he looked her in the eyes and grinned. "Feel warm?"

"A little too warm, actually."

"Eh, you can take some off once we're inside again. I can't have you getting sick on me again."

Kakarot offered his arm to her and they left the hotel room behind to explore Cold's Ridge. Chi-Chi couldn't stop gaping at the divine statues and paintings that decorated the building. When they entered the outside and the cold breeze hit her face, she understood why Kakarot made such a fuss about the layering. The snow was glistening and a lot less deadly than it appeared before she got to this place.

She released his arm to bend down and observe it more closely. Kakarot licked his lips at what he saw. Despite having the thick long coat on, he could see the outline of her bottom perfectly. He'd get hell if he smacked it like he wanted to. He formed a snowball instead and threw it directly at his intended target.

"Kakarot!" she blushed and held the wet spot while spinning around. He had his hands in his pockets and was whistling like he hadn't done a damn thing. "Why would you do that!?"'

He had to stop whistling in order to laugh. She was so cute when she was angry, like a little horned toad. He bent over in a similar position she was in before. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I'll let you get a free shot in."

Chi-Chi was about to make a snowball when there was someone tapping on her shoulder. Raditz had appeared and was holding a finger to his lips. In his hand was a large rock. She covered her face so Kakarot couldn't hear her giggling. Raditz brought the rock up to his head and then threw it with force. When it nailed Kakarot on the bottom and made him jump high from the impact, Chi-Chi and Raditz doubled over in laughter.

"Ow!" he held his hands on the sore spot and glared when he saw who did it. "That smarts! You're in for it now!"

As the brothers started having a snowball fight, Chi-Chi sat down on a bench to observe. When she wasn't focused on their grunts, she could make out Nappa and Vegeta arguing somewhere nearby. She glanced in that direction and saw Nappa holding a paper in front of his face.

"I need to make up for my losses!"

"It's not my fault you have a gambling addiction."

"No I don't!"

"Face it, you're a goddamn black-leg, Nappa."

"Aw, come on! How many times did I deal with a pit stop at Aces all these years for you?"

What came next was a slew of curse words, punches, shouting, and then finally acceptance. Nappa was waving a victory fist in the air and ran off. When Vegeta made eye contact with Chi-Chi, she quickly looked away. Through her peripherals, she could see him approaching. "You sure as shit has been through the mill this week. Doing any better?"

She had to look around to make sure he was speaking to her. Even though his tone was insincere, she was surprised he asked her such a question. Did her reading the letter for Bulma really cause him to pretend to care about her wellbeing? "Like it never happened."

Vegeta nodded his head while removing matches from his dark jacket. Raditz had begged him earlier not to give her shit for the aggressive cuddling they had witnessed. Kakarot wasn't even aware that they had all seen her tits. He'd end up throwing a fit or worse. The outlaw decided to be cordial, too stressed to deal with more bull he didn't have to. Vegeta sat down on the bench next to her and she moved as close to the opposite end as possible.

"You smoke?"

"No."

"I wasn't going to give you some anyway," Vegeta lit the stick and inhaled. He found enjoyment in how it burned his throat against the winter weather. He draped one arm across the backboard while taking another drag. Kakarot and Raditz were firing snowballs at one another as if they were at war. "This town is a shithole."

"I like it," Chi-Chi's eyes narrowed when he scoffed. "Why do you hate it so much? Because they took care of me?"

Vegeta's lip twitched. "Do you even know who _they_ are?"

"The owner's some lord named Frieza, right?"

"Yes, _Frieza_ ," the Saiyan's stiff fingers held onto his cigarette as he exhaled sharply and blew the smoke downwards. The woman clearly had no clue just how awful the bastard truly was. "You hate my guts, don't you?"

"Every single one of them."

"Well, Frieza's a hell of a lot worse than me. Has others do all the dirty work for him, defiles women, murders just for fun, you name it."

Chi-Chi felt a chill run down her spine and it wasn't from the snowball that accidentally hit her. As she waved to Kakarot to accept his apology, her eyes never wavered from Vegeta. "Why would you guys feel comfortable enough stopping here if he's that terrible?"

He was remembering why he never started a conversation with the woman. All she did was ask questions. He used his free hand to rub his aching temple. "The Saiyans and Frieza have a peculiar liaison. Our fathers started it with him because they thought it would be to their benefit. Now Bardock's in prison and my father is dead," Vegeta stared at a scuff on his boot. "Shot by the bastard during a gunfight. Frieza still welcomes the sons with loving fucking arms. Kakarot came up with the genius idea to come to him in case of an emergency on the way to Devil's Pass."

Nappa did mention something about having to watch over Vegeta after his father passed, but Chi-Chi had no idea it was murder. Knowing the type of person Vegeta was, she didn't understand why he didn't kill Frieza the day he shot his father.

How ironic it was to wonder that while sitting beside the man who took _her_ dad's life.

"Why haven't you done anything about it?"

"You don't fucking know who he's in cahoots with. Anyone could stroll up to you and take your life," Vegeta's hand slightly shook when he inhaled this time. "At least with the law you're aware of who you're running from. That's why I'm trying to leave while I'm still breathing but that dunderhead Nappa went off to play one more game of poker."

Chi-Chi was feeling the urge to leave now as well, but her stomach was fighting against her better judgment. Mimicking Raditz's whistle, she got the attention of both brothers. "Aren't you boys hungrier than a pack of wolves after all that?"

While they shook the snow out of their hair, Vegeta stood up. "I need to take a look at something. I'll meet you at the saloon when I'm done."

"Where you going!?" Kakarot called out to him but was only given the bird in return. He shrugged his shoulders and dropped down beside Chi-Chi. "What's got him all rattled up?"

Chi-Chi inched as close as she could get to him and put her hands on his shoulders. "You'd never bring me somewhere dangerous, would you?"

Kakarot quickly shot a look to Raditz, who shrugged his shoulders. Vegeta must have put his paranoid thoughts into her head. He took her hands into his own and squeezed tightly. "Of course not. Vegeta's got trust issues. You'll be fine. I promise."

Chi-Chi gave his hands a squeeze back and smiled again, knowing that Kakarot's promises were always the real deal. She walked with the brothers to the local saloon that apparently had the best turkey breast in the state. After taking one bite, she wasn't as impressed as Kakarot and Raditz were. They scarfed down the turkey meat like it was their first in days. They ate their rolls in just two bites. When it came to the soup, Kakarot held the bowl up and lapped it down. His tongue flicking around was giving her flashbacks and she had to look away.

Nappa wasn't too far away lost in his game of poker. She wanted to give it a shot again after her luck against him the first time but didn't feel comfortable doing it here. At the same time, she didn't want to just sit there and watch the brothers eat. There had to be _something_ that could occupy her.

A unique sound hit her ears.

Chi-Chi fixated on where it was coming from. A small group of people was dancing around men playing music on violins, jugs, and pianos. The musicians weren't playing like the ones back at home. They were slamming their fingers and bows against the instruments as their life depended on them. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was making her tap her foot.

"I've never seen anyone play a violin-like that before!"

After burping and wiping his mouth clear of residue, Kakarot followed Chi-Chi's gaze and made a face. "Violin? That's a fiddle!"

"I know what a violin looks like, Kakarot."

He smirked at the way her nose went up in the air again. "No, princess. That over yonder is a fiddle."

Before Chi-Chi could make her case once again, Raditz chimed in first. "Yeah, Teach. There's a world of difference."

"Do explain."

Raditz gestured to Kakarot, wanting his brother to have a moment to shine especially in front of her. Kakarot pointed at the fiddle player as he worked the bow to death. "You see how he's playing with his entire soul? And the sound of it is making you wanna dance? _That's_ what makes it a fiddle. The boring stuff you're used to would make it a violin," he laughed when the fiddle player took a swig of alcohol before continuing. "You don't spill beer on a violin!"

Chi-Chi knitted her brows together, still slightly confused. The genre certainly was more upbeat than the ones her daddy had going on at the balls she attended. "How do you dance to it?"

"Why don't you show her, Kakarot?" Raditz nudged his younger brother. "You and Ma did it all the time remember?"

Having cried out the pain last night, being reminded of a cherished memory made Kakarot beam brighter than the moon that was soon to set. The food had taken longer to be served than expected due to a full house. He grabbed both Chi-Chi's and Raditz's hands and brought them to the dance floor. He hollered at the musicians to play a song Chi-Chi didn't know.

As the fiddler and jug players began, Kakarot, Raditz, and other stomped their leg and clapped their hands. Chi-Chi joined in and noticed they were on the beat with the music. "There ain't much to it, darling! We always start this way, but then you let it take you away."

Having never done anything besides the waltz, Chi-Chi wasn't confident enough to jump in like other couples were. "I think I'll just stomp and clap."

Kakarot rolled his eyes and dragged her in the center with him. He tucked his thumbs into his belt pointed the heels of his boots up. As he moved to the left and right while doing it, Chi-Chi was beginning to feel the music like he said she would. She copied his movements and even his ear-to-ear grin. Raditz wasted no time in finding two women to dance with.

Sensing that she was now loosening up, Kakarot twirled Chi-Chi around and dipped her. When he brought her back up, they did the two-step again but closer together this time. They continued to dance for hours until both the fiddlers and dancers needed a break. After not removing their winter layers the entire time, Chi-Chi and Kakarot were covered in sweat but smiling through it all.

"That was so much fun!" she took off her hat and wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her glove. As she fanned herself, she got up on her tiptoes to kiss the Saiyan on the cheek. "I would've never taken you for the dancing type."

"Just that kind," he kissed the top of her head in return. He could go all night with her if she weren't showing signs of fatigue. "I'll go get us some water."

"No! I'll get it," she folded her hands in front of her after putting her hat back on. "It's the least I could do." Chi-Chi looked to see if Raditz needed any, but he had long since disappeared with his dancing partners.

Kakarot didn't want her roaming alone in this place, but he also didn't want to suffocate her. "Alright. Meet me back at the table as soon as you get it."

Chi-Chi nodded and headed to the bar. Kakarot made sure she got to it without anyone getting in her way then went to where he said they'd meet up. Vegeta was already sitting there, playing with something in his pocket. While the Saiyans sat, Chi-Chi waited for the bartender to give her two glasses of water. She was too focused on making sure the water didn't spill off the brim that she didn't notice she had gone in the wrong direction.

"...and what did you hear Vegeta say?"

Chi-Chi froze and then backed up after hearing the outlaw's name mentioned. Around the corner of the bar was a special looking table where three men were sitting. One was important looking, with a white continental suit and cape. There was a fancy looking one with a green braid and a round one with tiny pink spikes for hair. She had her back pressed to the wall after catching a glimpse.

"I heard him tell the broad they were on the way to Devil's Pass. That's where Bardock's at, ain't it?"

"Precisely. Hm... I knew those monkeys were up to something heinous. Bardock a free man isn't what we want."

"What do you suppose we do, boss?"

"Vegeta's been a sourpuss since coming back. Kill him in his sleep tonight as a warning to the others to stop."

Chi-Chi dropped the glasses to the floor and cursed under her breath. The saloon was so loud that nobody heard and the men continued to discuss their plans. Chi-Chi's ears were ringing and she didn't stay to hear what else they had to say. Once she was a safe distance away, she released the breath she had kept in and held onto her knees while thinking.

This could be everything she wanted. Vegeta would die and she wouldn't have the guilty conscience of doing it herself. Him getting caught off guard at his most vulnerable state would be the perfect payback. Chi-Chi stared at him as she sat down, and was so lost in thought she didn't hear Kakarot ask her what happened to the water.

"Hello? You in there?"

Chi-Chi shook her head as Kakarot snapped his fingers. "Oh! Sorry. I dropped the water and forgot to go back for more."

"Ah, it's alright. I'll go get some!"

Left alone once more with Vegeta, Chi-Chi swallowed hard. He was the only person she ever felt the emotion of hatred towards, and yet there was a tiny part of her that wanted to warn him of his upcoming doom.

_He killed your father._

Maybe it'd be okay to suffer from a guilty conscience.

"Now that they're gone, I can show you what I was talking about."

Chi-Chi was taken out of her thoughts again, but this time by Vegeta himself. She watched him in silence as he took out a small box from the pocket of his pants. He looked around to make sure nobody was staring and opened it. Chi-Chi gasped loudly, recalling what he had written in the letter to Bulma. It was a bright blue sapphire ring, one that almost matched the color of her hair. Around the gemstone were shiny diamonds that were as extravagant as the woman. Chi-Chi really thought he wrote about matrimony just to please her, and not actually go through with it.

Now here he was, holding one of the most beautiful engagement rings she had ever seen.

A soon to be husband.

A soon to be father.

Chi-Chi held her pounding head in her hands as Vegeta put the ring safely back inside his pocket. "You think it favors her, or-"

"Frieza's going to kill you tonight."

Vegeta closed his mouth and leaned in towards her. "What did you just say?"

Chi-Chi took a deep breath and looked over her shoulder to make sure those men weren't coming. She brought her attention back to Vegeta and whispered. "I mean I think it was Frieza. He was with two other men and he said for one of them to kill you in your sleep tonight."

Vegeta's jaw clenched while Kakarot placed drinks on the table. The youngest Saiyan wasn't sure what they talked about, but it sure got quiet fast. "Everything alright over here?"

Chi-Chi unbuttoned her jacket and removed the gun from her holster. She slid it across the table discreetly in case eyes were on them. "I'll tell you everything later, but please keep it on you. You might need to use it."

"Huh?" Kakarot stared at the gun, more bewildered than before. He was going to question her change of heart, but she wound up in his lap. He instinctively put his hands on her hips to hold her in place. "Isn't this a nice-"

She interrupted him with a kiss and her lips hovered near his still when she was done. "We can't talk about it here but there's a small chance I'll need you to be the fastest gun in the west again just for tonight."

* * *

In the darkness of his hotel room, Vegeta sat in a chair and waited. The candles were all blown out and there was no heat to provide any warmth inside, but he didn't care. If Chi-Chi was right, Dodoria would be walking in at any time and Vegeta would need to sneak up on him first in order to survive the scuffle. A gunshot would alert the guests and provide Frieza with a heads up. His weapon had to be a knife, which Dodoria would have as well.

The sound of the knob turning caused Vegeta to sit up straight and hold in his breath. Not even looking in a different direction, Dodoria crept towards the bed where he believed Vegeta was laying. He shone his lantern on the lump the Saiyan created using pillows and slowly removed his blade from his pocket. Like a predator going in for his prey, Vegeta stalked soundlessly to the stout man and put him in a chokehold from behind.

"V-Vegeta," the henchman dropped both the knife and lantern to the floor after being shocked. Vegeta stomped the flame out before it could spread and dragged the struggling Dodoria to the washroom. "F-Frieza wanted me to kill you! Let me go and I'll help you!"

Keeping a stronghold on the man's large neck and the sharp tip of the knife on his temple, Vegeta stopped near the tub that could only be seen through the moonlight seeping in from the window. "Tell me why he sent your sorry ass and I'll think about sparing you."

The Saiyan could feel Dodoria gulping. "Calm down hoss and just listen... Frieza's paranoid with you fellas trying to get Bardock out of the hoosegow. Thinks you're gonna stage a coup against him.

"Why?"

"Ugh..." Dodoria held onto Vegeta's arm in hopes it would loosen the grip but it didn't. When the Saiyan was angry, it was difficult to fight back. "Because... Frieza was the one who shot the sheriff that day, not Bardock. Poor bastard...took the blame to keep his boys safe."

Vegeta blinked while Dodoria began kicking his legs wildly to see if that would help him. If Raditz and Kakarot were aware of this, they would have snapped the lord's neck upon arrival a week ago. "Is Frieza planning on killing them tonight?"

"No... Just... you," Dodoria gagged as the grip beyond all possibility strangled him more. His face was turning red from suffocation. "Figures...ah...it'll be enough...to know they need to back off..."

"And if that didn't work?"

When Dodoria didn't answer, Vegeta thought he had choked to death but then could still feel a pulse in his neck throbbing. He dug the blade into the man's face, causing him to cry out.

"A group was gonna take turns with the girl!"

Not only was the idea of raping Chi-Chi an immediate death sentence by Kakarot for anyone that tried, but it was also repulsive and sent raw anger thrumming through his veins. "And I bet you were going to be part of it, weren't you?"

"What!? No, Vegeta! I-"

He slammed Dodoria into the tub so harshly that the man spit up when his back landed on the cold metal. With one hand on his throat to keep him down, Vegeta plunged the knife in and out of where the heart was located. He twisted the blade until the sound of Dodoria gurgling on his own blood ended. Vegeta's clothing had red splatters in messy sections. Baring his teeth, he gave him one last stab before pulling the knife out for good.

With the knife still in his crimson hand, Vegeta walked out of the room and down the hall to where Chi-Chi stayed. Not wanting to leave stains on the door, he knocked using the tip of his boot.

"Open the fuck up. It's just me."

Chi-Chi cracked the door open slightly, then fully once she saw his appearance. Kakarot was right behind her when she gasped loudly. "Did you...?"

"We need to go. Nappa and Raditz should be in the woods by now."

The only belonging she had left was her dad's blanket that she clung securely to her chest as they took turns escaping from the window. Kakarot caught her at the bottom and they waited for Vegeta to get down. Now on foot, they ran through the snow of the sleeping town to the dark woods. They had barely entered when the sound of infamous laughter came from behind them.

"Leaving so soon?"

Chi-Chi hid behind Kakarot as the Saiyans faced Lord Frieza. The short man was wild-eyed and crazy looking, his usual slicked back purple hair disheveled. Zarbon was at his side, appearing just as deranged.

"I'm unsure if you're aware, but someone attempted to stab me in my sleep."

Frieza chuckled again. "Well that's not very hospitable, is it? Who won?"

"You're a sick bastard," Vegeta's voice was cold and his trigger finger was itching. He was going to fuck his life up without any different way out of this situation, but at least he'd feel the satisfaction of sending a bullet through Frieza's head. "Why don't you go ahead and tell Kakarot here about framing Bardock and what you were planning on doing to Chi-Chi?"

Kakarot looked from Vegeta to Frieza. The lord's cocky grin vanished completely. "What are you saying? Framing Bardock? And what about Chi-Chi?"

"So I see Dodoria ran his cowardly mouth," Zarbon spoke up and began reaching for his gun. "We-"

"Shut up!" Frieza snapped and put Zarbon back in his place. Knowing that the Saiyans were well aware of what would happen if they killed him, the tyrant knew the cards were in his favor. He straightened himself up and adjusted the collar of his jacket. "My dear, sweet Kakarot. Whether or not your father shot that sheriff, he wanted nothing more than to be reunited with your mother. He wants to die in that prison. Let him go."

Kakarot's vision was getting blurry and he shook his head. His hand still hadn't been lifted from his holster. "My...my pops could've been a free man right now?"

"He doesn't want to be alive anymore, Kakarot. I did him a favor. If you try to get him out of that prison, he's never going to forgive you."

While his partner was hurt and confused by the words, Vegeta had just about enough of the manipulation. Without thinking twice about it, Vegeta lifted his gun and pulled the trigger. The first bullet went into Frieza's chest, the same location he had shot his father. The second bullet went into the head to make sure the job was done. The third, fourth, and fifth bullet was for therapy.

Kakarot was able to snap out of his stupor to shoot Zarbon before he could run away. The man fell face down onto the snow, drenching it with his blood. The numerous firings of Vegeta's bullets were sure to disturb the town. The outlaw tucked his gun away and breathed heavily while observing the scene before him. Raditz on the stagecoach and Nappa some horses emerged as soon as they hurt the bullets. The long-haired Saiyan gripped the reins tightly while shaking his head.

"Shit. It's over for us."

"No, it's not," Vegeta refused to give up now. He picked up Frieza and placed him over his shoulder while walking to the stagecoach. "We'll find the perfect location to dump the bodies. Nobody's going to find out."

Not knowing what else to do, Nappa sighed and went to retrieve Zarbon's body. They loaded the men into the stagecoach and began covering the reddened snow along with their tracks. Raditz would need to take the stagecoach in a separate direction for a few miles to confuse those who may come searching. Chi-Chi reached up to touch Kakarot on the shoulder after his brother disappeared.

"You don't believe the things he said, do you?"

Kakarot turned around to return the gun to its new owner and shrugged his shoulders. He had Raditz read him the letter his dad sent from Devil's Pass, and there was an indication that Bardock wanted to accept his fate.

But Kakarot just couldn't allow it to happen.

Not when there could be redemption, a new life.

"No. I'm going to Devil's Pass to save my pops whether he likes it or not," Kakarot lifted Chi-Chi's chin up and winked. "And I'm getting you to Sunnybellow whether _I_ like it or not."

Chi-Chi smiled and stood in the same spot while Kakarot got one of the horses ready. As she went to join him, she passed Vegeta. They made eye contact briefly before he struck his hand out for her to shake.

A sign of newfound respect.


	12. Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krillin and his vigilantes make their first strike at the Saiyans. Who will come out alive?

Launch's teeth were chattering as soon as she left the town. The blizzard had forced the vigilantes to take a break for the night and continue on as soon as they awoke. How the Saiyans could've possibly survived the storm, she had no idea. She had to ditch her skirt for wool trousers and the thickest sport coat she could find. She glanced at Krillin, who didn't seem to be affected one bit by the drop in temperature.

"Is that prison area warmer than this?"

"It's out in the west coast where the sun always shines," Krillin smiled underneath his bandana. He was proud of his group for making it this far without wanting to turn back. "We'll get 'em before then, though. I feel it."

"Something's up ahead!" Yamcha looked over his shoulder as he and Broly stopped their horses from going any further without the sheriff's keen eye. The former bandit pointed at something that was buried underneath fresh snow. "Want me to take a look?"

Krillin shook his head and climbed off his horse. He double-checked his gloves to make sure they were secure on his hands before dusting off the icy particles. He continued to sweep until the coat of a black mare was revealed. Assuming that the identical lump next to it was another horse, he frowned and stood up straight. "Poor things must have frozen up overnight."

"You think they belonged to the Saiyans?" Caulifla had joined him with her shivering arms across her well-covered chest. "It's rare to find wild horses out here."

"Possibly," Krillin scratched the back of his neck. The powder that fell overnight covered up any tracks they could've left behind. "If it is, they had to run off somewhere to get more steads."

"You reckon they're dumb enough to stop at a town now?"

The sheriff racked his brains about every little detail he could remember about the Saiyans. Bulma had become acquainted with them back in their teenage years, and since Aces was constructed by Bardock and Kakarot that's where they'd always end up meeting. There was no way they'd be trying to get somewhere that was three months back and a thousand miles away. One time, Krillin asked Bulma where Vegeta had gotten a painting for her. It was from the northwest. Something Ridge was the name of the town...

"I know you folks don't travel much, but I'm stumped. There's a town in this region that goes by the name of Snow Ridge or something like that."

"Cold's Ridge."

All eyes shifted to Broly. His gloveless knuckles were white from squeezing the reins of his horse tightly. His breathing had also become unsteady. They could hear it even when he tried to get control of it. Caulifla arched an eyebrow at his pained expression, not use to his face being anything but stoic. "You been there before?"

When his only response was a wide-eyed stare, Krillin stuck his fingers in his belt loops and rocked on the heel of his boots. "...Right. Cold's Ridge. That's the next place we should look-"

"NO!"

Krillin reached for his gun when Broly roared. He had jumped off the horse and was stomping towards the sheriff. The large prisoner was looking like a man who actually killed his own father. The sheriff could feel the dangerous heat as Broly's eyes bore into him. He must know something he didn't. Since it wasn't a time to look weak, Krillin cleared his throat and kept his hand on his holster. "Why not?"

Broly's chest jut out as he released a series of loud growls. Krillin pointed his gun at him as he stepped back at the primal sound. Caulifla got in the middle of them and raised her hands to the shorter of the two men.

"Stand down, sheriff. He gets this way from time to time. You make it any worse and he'll rip your head off."

Keeping two hands on the gun, Krillin looked between Caulifla and Broly. Launch was standing behind him with her own rifle locked and loaded. Yamcha, without a gun, stood tall with his fists up. Broly's nostrils were still flared but his breathing was evening out.

"You wanna acknowledge the corn and state your business with that burg?"

After a while, Broly shook his head and spoke through clenched teeth. "That place is not safe. Evil men run it. No laws. No government. Just death."

Krillin lowered his arms slightly at the tone of Broly's voice getting quieter and quieter with each word until he hung his head. Whatever connection he had with Cold's Ridge was eating him up inside. The sheriff knew this to be true because the man has hardly shown emotions for the last three months. He put his gun back inside his holster and Broly looked up when he sighed. "Sounds like the perfect place for Saiyans and hell for sheriffs, eh?"

"Yes," Broly nodded and copied Krillin's sigh. "We should wait for them in the outskirts. Cut stick and corner them."

"They won't be expecting it...Hell of an idea, Broly!" Krillin shook hands with him and whistled for the others to get back on their horses. He wasn't entirely sure if the Saiyans were really staying at Cold's Ridge, but the hunch was too strong. The sheriff's tracking never led him astray before. "Let's get those bushwhackers once and for all."

* * *

Chi-Chi grimaced at the sight of Vegeta's back. The sun had risen and was now highlighting the bloodstains in his jacket. Nappa and he were a few paces ahead of her and Kakarot. The image of the men being shot lingered in the back of her mind and made her nauseous. She still wasn't use to the gore despite being part of it for so long now.

"You think we'll stop soon?" she whispered to his back as she clung to him for dear life. They were working the horses extra hard to get as far away from Cold's Ridge as possible. The Saiyan had been awfully quiet since their escape. "Kakarot?"

"Sorry, Ch-Chi. Just thinking about my pops."

"Oh," she rested her cold cheek against him and watched the leafless trees fly by. She wanted to talk about it but had been waiting for him to say something first. "How do you feel knowing he's innocent?"

Kakarot was balled up about it. Whatever his dad was doing with Frieza at the time the sheriff was shot was unclear, and what was more troubling was why Pops would even take the blame for it knowing Raditz and him were waiting for him to come back home. The only two people that had the answers were in jail or dead. "My old man ain't no saint, but I suppose it makes me a bit happy he didn't shoot a lawman. 'Least I know he ain't crazy."

"That's what you should have been beside a delinquent."

"What? A sheriff?"

"Yeah," Chi-Chi found herself smiling while picturing him with a gold star pinned to his shirt. "Use that quickness of yours to stop bad guys instead of robbing stagecoaches."

When Kakarot felt her arms holding him tighter, he was slightly apple-cheeked. "Would you like me better if I were a sheriff?"

"Maybe. You have to admit it would have been a better way to meet."

Kakarot glanced from her small hands on his torso to the backs of the men he considered family. His brows knitted together as he considered the options he had. He couldn't stay in the states after breaking Bardock out of Devil's Pass, and there was a very slim chance Chi-Chi would give up her dream of Sunnybellow. "What do you think about being a teacher and me being a sheriff in another country?"

Chi-Chi pulled herself away and sat up straight. "What?" her response came out along with a giggle. "Is this a game of silly questions?"

"I'm as serious as a heart attack, darling. I want a serious answer."

Chi-Chi blinked. She couldn't see his face, but from the way, he spoke she knew he wasn't messing around. This entire predicament had her buffaloed. Kakarot by good rights was quite a man. There wasn't a time he didn't treat her well and he saved her life more than once. He was sweet and different. They shared a few intimate moments. Without a shadow of a doubt, she was attracted to him.

But it wasn't her head that wanted him, and that's what really mattered.

"Kakarot..." she could feel something hard in her throat when she swallowed down his name. "Don't be ridiculous. You need to stop believing we could be together. You act like this is love."

The horse slowed down by force. Vegeta and Nappa were too distracted on moving to realize they had stopped following them. How her dictation could be so cold and cruel after all the affection she had shown didn't make a lick of sense. The little kisses here and there and how she held him the night they cried together had to have meant something. Kakarot turned his head and looked at her through the corner of his eye.

"How is it not?"

Chi-Chi's breath was seen when she exhaled after holding it in for so long. What was going through both of their minds had to be the same memories and moments shared over the last few months. She kissed him more times than necessary and let him see parts of her she should've kept guarded. "You're confusing gratefulness for something else," her voice came out in a soft, pained whisper. "I don't love you. I couldn't ever love someone like you. Not after what you did."

"Will you stop blaming me for that!?"

"Kakarot!" She was taken aback by his throaty yell as he climbed off the horse to leave her alone on the saddle. It was the first time he had ever raised his voice to her. He paced around like he was trying to keep himself from doing it again, then froze mid-step to glare up at her.

"I was going to shoot Vegeta that day when he wanted to kill you, and I fought every inch and mile we followed your stagecoach but they wouldn't listen to me," his voice was angry but low. Chi-Chi placed a hand protectively on her heart as he continued to talk with a twitching lip. "You're the prettiest thing I've ever laid eyes on but I didn't help you to fuck you. You told me the same things the woman I loved before did and I wanted to keep you safe since I failed her. And for you to sit there and compare me to them..."

Chi-Chi's eyes watered while Kakarot shook his head. Didn't he realize that him just being around would serve as a constant reminder of her dad being gunned down? "I loved and lost someone, too. Three months ago. You've had thirteen years."

Kakarot didn't need to say anything to let her know how he felt. There was a deep sadness in his eyes as he switched off the anger. The pain that life had put them through kept them silent for a good while until Kakarot sighed.

"I don't want any more of this atween us, Chi-Chi. I'm worn out."

She couldn't figure out if he meant their relationship or arguing because he walked away soon after saying it.

* * *

"Where the fuck did they run off to now!?"

"They'll catch up," Nappa took a drink of water from his canteen and placed it back inside the saddlebag. They tied up the horses to the nearby trees and waited for Raditz to approach with the stagecoach. "We need to do this fast and high tail it out of here."

Raditz stopped in front of the other Saiyans and hopped out. He gestured towards where he just was while glaring at Vegeta. "Since you got us into this mess, you'll be the one to ditch the buzzerfood."

Accepting his fate but not without a growl, Vegeta got in and took control of the reins. "You two just be ready when I get back. And find out where that idiot brother of yours went."

As Vegeta left in the stagecoach, Raditz slapped himself on the forehead while looking around to see the disappearance of his brother and Chi-Chi were true. "Kakarot's gonna get me killed one day, I swear. Wanna wait here while I go check?"

"Suits me just fine," Nappa laughed and took out his deck of cards. "I'll play a little game of solitaire."

"Never change you crazy bastard," Raditz tipped his hat to him and got on the horse Vegeta was riding earlier. "If only you could play poker by yourself. You'd do a better job at tournaments."

"Fuck you," but the older one was grinning. "I can't wait for Bardock to tan your hide for disrespecting your elders. He wouldn't have put up with all this shit as I do."

"That's why you're the best."

Nappa flipped him off when Raditz winked. The bald Saiyan slapped the horse's behind to send Raditz away and then laid on a blanket that was on his own horse onto the snowy ground. He sat alone in the peacefulness of the woods and began shuffling his beloved cards. He was holding a pair of aces and a pair of eights, the Dead Man's Hand when a bullet went deep into his chest.

* * *

"Easy, girl, easy."

Raditz stopped his horse and got off, feeling the urge to relieve himself after holding it in the entire ride away from Cold's Ridge. He pulled down his pants and let it all out on a tree. There was something amusing about the steam coming from the heat of it and it made him snort.

The familiar sound of a bullet whizzing through the air caused him to lose direction of the flow. A clean hole went through the top of his hat and sent it down into the snow.

"Holy shit!"

He zipped himself up as quick as he could and reached for his gun. The culprit of the first shot was directly behind him. How she moved so fast and quietly was beyond him. The barrels of both their weapons were aimed at the chest of the enemy. He recognized that blonde hair instantly and smirked, having feelings of both attraction and being scared shitless.

"Came all this way just to finish what we started, huh?"

"Go to hell."

When she cocked the rifle, Raditz ducked down and grabbed her by the ankles. She screamed and fired into the air as she fell backward. The impact of her head hitting the ground caused her to release the gun. The Saiyan grabbed it before she could retrieve it again and threw it over his shoulder. His boot pressed down on her chest and prevented her from getting up again.

Looking down at her struggling, Raditz sighed and put his gun away. It would be a pity to kill something so gorgeous. "Are there others with you, or you lonesome?"

"Fuck," she grunted and tried to get up again. "You!"

"We'll get to that in a minute, but I need you to be truthful. Who's with you?"

The distant sound of another gun going off made Raditz's heart drop to his stomach, instantly thinking of his brother. Noticing his broken gaze, she twisted her body to the side harshly and got free. The Saiyan was back in her face the second she stood up straight. Growling, Launch punched him. Her knuckles were red from his bleeding nose and she shook it.

"Damn your face is hard as hell!"

Raditz wiped the blood away from his stinging nose with the back of his coat sleeve. The bitch wanted to play rough and he needed to find Kakarot before he was killed. There was only one way to settle this. He began bouncing on his feet with his fist in front of his damaged face. "C'mon, you crazy ass. I know you can take a pounding."

* * *

Standing at the edge of the cliff, Vegeta took one last look at the man who made his life a living hell the last decade. His face was almost unrecognizable after being shot repeatedly. He lifted up Frieza's body and threw him over. He glanced down to see that the body had become stuck and didn't land in the frozen river as he wanted it to.

"Shit!" he snapped his fingers. Maybe throwing Zarbon at him would be enough to get both of them to the ice. He walked back to the stagecoach and dragged the henchman out by the feet. A loud clanging nose hit the stagecoach while Vegeta held the body in front of him. He jumped and saw a bullet hole where the sound came from.

"You must be Vegeta, the leader of the Saiyans!"

Using Zarbon as a shield with one hand, Vegeta used his other to pull out his gun. The dead man was much taller than himself and he couldn't see who was talking to him. "Must be why a yellowbelly is shooting at a man with his back turned. Who the fuck are you?"

"Name's Yamcha," Vegeta felt Zarbon's body getting hit with another of the stranger's bullets. "I'm sure you've heard of me. They call me the Desert Bandit."

"Never heard of you, but I'll give you the chance to die like a real man. Let me put this here son of a bitch down and we'll have a draw. Sound fair?"

"Hm...alright. Get on with it, then."

"I've got eyes on you," Vegeta falsely warned. "You try shooting before I'm ready and they'll lay you down quick. Understood?"

"Yessir. I've got eyes on you, too."

_Fuck._

He most likely did.

Vegeta slowly dropped Zarbon to the snow and looked at his challenger. The one called Yamcha had a scar on his cheek like Bardock, but most likely not with as interesting as a story. His long hair was in a ponytail and the smirk on his face was faulty like it didn't belong to him. He was shaking in his boots but speaking with confidence.

"Hah. So this is the ruthless Vegeta. You're just as ugly as your picture."

Seeing through him, Vegeta chuckled darkly and strummed his hands along with his holster. "You better pray you shoot better than you talk, greenhorn. On the count of three."

Yamcha's brows were sweating even in the cold. He cleared his throat to continue sounding tough but was hoping one of his people would join him soon. His shaky handheld steady on the gun. "A-Alright, hoss. You asked for it. One...two...three!"

On 'three', Vegeta's reflexes assumed command and he knew the shot was his. There was a puff of red mist when the bullet found its mark. Immediately fatal, the attack left Yamcha dead. The snow soaked up his blood while Vegeta blew the smoke off the tip of his gun. He was about to tuck it back into the holster when he heard the snapping of twigs.

A large man had entered through the trees. The tip of his rifle was pointed to the sky instead of at Vegeta. He stared at the freshly dead body and then at the one beginning to rot. His eyes widened as he got closer to the man with a green braid to inspect him.

"...Zarbon?"

Vegeta squinted at the beast of a cowpoke, recognizing the face but not the rest of him.

"Shit. Are you Paragus's son?"

* * *

He knew he shouldn't have left Chi-Chi alone, but he needed to get away before he could say something he'd regret for the rest of his life. How it all went wrong just by asking her a simple question cut him deep. He didn't get too far from the trail and assumed she already went to catch up with the others. Once he got his bearings together, he'd follow the trail back.

For now, he sat down on a large rock on the edge of the frozen river. All he wanted was redemption and all she did was push him away. Maybe her father's death was still fresh or maybe she really could never see him any different from the rest. Either way it was still too soon for her to forgive.

Kakarot rubbed his temples with his thumbs and closed his eyes. They had been through too much together that it felt like so much longer. Like he knew Chi-Chi his entire life.

"Howdy, stranger."

Not the voice he wanted to hear but one he could barely recall, Kakarot jumped to his feet and turned around to see the drink girl from Rose's standing there. No longer in a revealing dress, she had her hands behind her back and was smiling shyly.

"What in the world are you doing here? This ain't no place for a lady such as yourself."

Caulifla couldn't help but fall briefly for that charm again. He was the type that could talk his way out of anything. That didn't change the fact he brought trouble to her town and she had big money on the line. Her fingers rubbed against the weapon behind her back while she turned on her own charm. "Why, aren't you sweet worrying about me. I was thinking about your handsome face since the night we met and followed the stream in hopes to see you again."

Kakarot knew she was lying but couldn't risk being hasty. This was a setup and he didn't have anything to protect himself with. He removed his hat from his head and bowed slightly to her. "Well, here I am. At your service."

Caulifla bit her lip. He was going to weasel his way out of this if she didn't act quick enough. She sighed deeply while searching his eyes. "I'm sorry, Kakarot. I can't let you keep escaping."

When she revealed the gun she was hiding, Kakarot froze in place. This was payback for all the lives he had taken away. Words from his father's letters and what Frieza had said rang through his head, but most of all he heard Chi-Chi and his mother. This type of sinful living only leads to a fall. Unable to move, he waited for her to pull the trigger but he only heard her scream out when she was struck from behind.

After Caulifla had fallen, Kakarot saw his savior standing there with a smoking gun just the way he taught her. She dropped the big iron to the ground and held her face in her hands at what she had just done. Her eyes were full of fear and regret, but somehow switched to concern when they flickered back up at him.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he blinked as she put the gun in the holster he got her. Her coat was wide open. "Are you?"

"I don't know."

Kakarot had a difficult time reading her. It was a mixture of trauma, guilt, and relief. She surprised him by stepping over the body bleeding out to get closer. He thought she was going to slap him across the face but she embraced him instead. Instantly, his hands went to her waist and pulled her in. They held on tightly as thunderous echoes of gunshots were happening all throughout the woods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter is @cowboysaiyan


	13. You've Got to Stand For Something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the encounter with Krillin's vigilante shakes things up. With 3 months left to Devil's Pass and Sunnybellow, how will these changes impact the remainder of the journey?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if this matters, but I haven't really clarified ages so let me go ahead now!  
> Kakarot - 23  
> Chi-Chi - 22  
> Raditz - 27  
> Vegeta and Bulma - 28  
> Bardock - 45  
> 

After close to an hour of waiting for Kakarot to come back, Chi-Chi got off the horse he ditched her on and tied the animal to a tree. She rubbed her arms up and down as she trudged through the snow. In addition to not being keen on the lonesomeness of the trail, she felt a mixture of regret and guilt for saying what she had. There was a nicer way to put what she felt, but even she wasn't sure what her feelings for him were.

She wanted him, but it was wrong.

Wrong timing, wrong place, the wrong situation, wrong company...

While Chi-Chi continued on, her confusion worsened. She was planning on apologizing to him, but she didn't know why. She had every right to deny his affection when she was still coping with the murder of her daddy.

But how come it hurts so bad to turn Kakarot away?

Life with him in another country was just as ridiculous as it sounded.

To be a schoolteacher, no doubt. And him, a sheriff. They'd both need to learn a new language before being able to do either. Where would they live? Would they need to build a home together from the ground up?

Why was she even imagining it!?

Chi-Chi cursed under her breath and rolled her eyes. Their little argument had gotten the best of her, and clearly, time on the trail was making her lose her sanity for even picturing a life with Kakarot.

Sunnybellow was her new home, a fresh start, where people were expecting her to be in just three months. She paused mid-step. People were also expecting her father. She clutched her chest as she felt a pang, realizing that she would need to explain what had happened to him.

Unless someone, somehow, had already spread the news.

Not wanting to frustrate herself further, Chi-Chi decided to worry about that when the time came and fought through the dried bristles of the wild bushes. Kakarot was upset, but he certainly wouldn't have traveled that far away from her. He had to be through all this somewhere...

"Howdy, stranger."

"Hm?" Chi-Chi ducked down slightly then arched an eyebrow at what came into her line of vision. A girl was standing awfully close to the cowboy. After the initial jealousy wore off, Chi-Chi's panic came into play when she caught sight of the gun behind the girl's back. One look at Kakarot's polite expression, it was clear that he wasn't aware of the weapon.

All it took was the mental image of her father in a pool of blood being replaced by the Saiyan in the same position to make her unbutton her coat hastily. She lifted the cold piece from her holster and held Kakarot's big iron. Keeping her breath steady despite the rise of pressure, Chi-Chi emerged from the bushes and stalked towards the woman. Shooting too far was risky for a beginner like herself, and she wasn't going to let Kakarot die when there was a chance she could prevent it.

Even if it meant damning her soul.

With her hands in the correct place to prevent her from falling with the recoil, Chi-Chi pulled the trigger. Her eyes widened when the bullet punched its way through the woman's back. The hole in its wake rapidly filled with red liquid. The victim's screaming had ended when she fell into the snow, choking to death on her blood until she stopped moving completely.

Chi-Chi looked up at Kakarot after swallowing hard at what she had just done. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Are you?"

"I don't know."

She placed the gun back inside her holster and took a deep breath. What kind of person was she to kill this random woman when she couldn't bring herself to shoot Vegeta when she had the opportunity in fear of not being able to live with herself? Vegeta had actually done something to her and this poor thing dead in the snow didn't do anything...

Chi-Chi forced herself to look up from the body into the eyes of the man in front of her once more. His dark irises were calling out to her, full of concern and the need to take care of everything.

The woman was going to kill Kakarot. And Chi-Chi shot her because she didn't want to lose him, too.

She stepped over the mess she made and wrapped her arms around him. He reciprocated the embrace by pulling her in tightly by the waist. She could hear the sounds of gunshots ringing in the distance and although it sent a shiver down her spine, the two didn't let go of one another.

"I'm so sorry, Chi-Chi," he muttered while resting his chin on top of her head. "You should have never been put in a position to do that. I shouldn't have left you."

When she pulled back slightly, his head moved so he could look down at her. She was just so relieved he was alive and present that the fact she now had blood on her hands was necessary rather than something to be guilty about. At least temporarily. "I wish I explained myself better, Kakarot. I don't love you," she frowned and reached a hand up to touch his cold cheek. "But I do feel something. Please give me time to figure out what that is."

Kakarot put his hand on top of hers and grinned. "Yes ma'am. I'll give you all the time you need."

"No more kisses, okay?"

"Not even one to thank you?"

"Afraid not."

"Damn."

Chi-Chi shook her head when he snapped his fingers. She released him and brought her attention back to the dead woman. Her smile faded as the sight along with the gunshots still going off was unsettling. It was for a rational reason, but she had actually killed someone. "I can't believe she's dead because of me."

Kakarot's voice came from close behind. He held onto her shoulder and gave it a tight squeeze. She knew he understood exactly the different emotions she was experiencing. "We'll get through this. I truly am thankful you came to my rescue, princess. That could've been me."

His words didn't make her feel any better. She was now wondering about who this person was, her family, or who she was leaving behind. "Did you know her?"

"Not really. She was the one who gave me that little piece of gold and told me about the river," Kakarot squatted down and checked her pulse to double-check there was nothing left. "All I know is that she didn't come alone."

The river he was referring to was all the way back at Rose's, the cantina where she met the sheriff. Their eyes connected at the same time, knowing what one another was thinking. They started running back to where their horse was waiting. Kakarot threw his hand back at her without looking. Once she held on, they were moving at an even speed.

* * *

The way her fists rapidly hit him like the speed of a dust devil made Raditz believe she was taught in the art of bare-knuckle boxing just like him. Launch got lucky a few times. Her knuckles were covered in his blood when she struck his jaw. She jumped back and raised her hands up to protect her face as she waited for him to finish spitting up.

"Is that all ya got, bastard!?"

Raditz really didn't want to fuck her up, but she wasn't leaving him with many options. Both were too invested in the fight to take advantage of the guns that were lying haphazardly on the snow. He sent a balled-up fist into her stomach, causing her breath to leave her. When her knees buckled from the impact, Raditz wrapped one of his unfairly muscular arms around her neck in a chokehold. As she bit into his skin to fight against it, he growled from the sharpness of it and started punching her in the ribs with his free hand.

They released each other at the same time, with Launch now on all fours coughing up blood. Raditz rolled up his jacket sleeve to observe the mark she had left. Her teeth had gotten through his clothing and left a bite on his skin.

"Crazy bitch," he glared down at her as blood continued to trickle down her chin and into the pure winter whiteness beneath. "What the fuck is your deal? You mustn't have been too fond of that lawman of yours to hop on my dick the way you did."

When her face lifted up to reveal a mouth covered with crimson fluid, Raditz's eyes lit up. There really wasn't anything hotter than that. "You took what's mine, asshole!" her eyes were brimmed with tears, but they were more of anger than sorrow. "I loved Tien!"

"You're telling one tall tale, blondie. C'mon," Raditz smirked and leaned against the tree near him. "Let's hear the truth. There ain't nobody here but you and me."

For a second, he thought the widow was going to say how she really felt. Instead, she let out a throaty scream and got back up on her feet. "Fuck," a fist was up near her temple. "You!" When she threw it, the Saiyan caught it with force. He slammed her back against the tree roughly and pinned both her wrists against the damp bark. His handling was far too powerful for her to break free no matter how hard she tried. He pressed down on her boots with her own to keep her legs from trying anything.

"Why can't you admit it?"

Launch's green eyes were icier than all the nature surrounding them. With her chest heaving due to the inconsistent breathing, she spoke to his lips that were near her own. "It ain't none of your business, bronco."

Raditz noticed her voice was a lot calmer and lower now. She was caving in. His own tone became darker, to which her forehead began to sweat. "You were just a married woman looking for something more, weren't you?" When she didn't say anything, he continued. "You didn't come all this way by yourself, gorgeous. Who brought you? Was it Sheriff Krillin?"

"Once again," she spoke through clenched teeth. "It ain't none of your business."

He chuckled and pushed her wrists tighter against the tree. "Oh, I think it is. 'Specially when there's a bounty on our heads. How many of you did he bring along?"

A mixture of blood and saliva spat out towards his beaten face. "Fuck you, Saiyan."

"You bitch!" When the fluid got into his eyes, Raditz had to close them tightly to prevent any further stinging. As he was momentarily blind, he lost his footing. Launch lifted her knee up and struck him in between the legs, making it twice on this trip that he had been hit in the dick. She made a run towards her gun as Raditz sank to the ground, holding the area he ached with both hands.

He had come too far to the west to let this wild woman kill him now.

Raditz inhaled sharply and hobbled behind her. The pain growing in his testicles was making him wonder if he was ever going to be happy again. "Hey," his voice was high pitched and uneven. "Hold your horses, Calamity Jane!"

Launch turned around, gun in hand. She pulled the trigger while aiming it at his forehead for an instant kill, but her smirk turned down when her weapon only shot blanks. She sweatdropped while looking between the empty barrel and the Saiyan.

"Shit!" Launch swung it at his temple instead, but he knocked it out away after finding the strength to stand up straight. The luck these bastards had was astonishing. Raditz was now holding on tightly to her hand that once held her gun. She was grunting just rough enough that her breath was seen in the cold air. She was too angry to decide what to do with her free hand.

Raditz furrowed his dark brows together. He was put off by her sniffling, unsure if it was from the weather or tears that wanted to come out. "Did you really love your fella that much to come all this way to kill me?"

Launch's features softened, only slightly, at the quietness of his question. She wasn't about to give the outlaw her entire life's story. Growing frustrated again by her own emotions, Launch bared her teeth and dug her available nails into the side of his face, cutting him so deep he began to bleed.

"Fuck!" he released her other hand so he could grab her neck tightly. While he choked her, she continued to break through his skin. "You're off your mental reservation!"

They were bringing each other down slowly, hoping one would give in to the pain first and let go. Knees in the snow now, it was looking like they were both going to kill each other before that happened.

"Idiot," she gagged as he laid her down. Her back was instantly cold. "You're as ugly as homemade sin. You'll pay for everything one day."

"But not today," Raditz winced and groaned at the same time. Choking her wasn't doing the job. He released her neck and pulled her claws away from his ripped up cheeks. The blood coming down from the wounds fell onto her forehead as he looked down at her.

Both of them wild-eyed, panting and burning one another with their hateful gaze.

Both of them never turned on this much in their lifetime.

Launch reached up to hold the back of his head. She pulled him down to her and opened her mouth to let him in. Their tongues swirled around as they rolled towards Launch's horse. The animal neighed and moved out of the way when they bumped into its leg. She was now the one on top. Raditz squeezed her round, jean-clad ass when she bit his lip. His other hand raked through her blonde hair while she sucked on the swollen flesh.

The only thing holding him back from finishing what they began that day at the river was the silence of the forest.

Kakarot was still missing.

And his dick really hurt like a son of a bitch.

His eyes opened and drifted up as she moved her mouth to his neck now. He saw a lasso dangling freely from a saddlebag.

"I think it's high time I show you how I like it, girl."

Launch allowed him to put her in his preferred position. She was on all fours, facing away from the horse. Her ass up was tempting, and it made him pause before grabbing the lasso. She figured he was taking his pants off and would be removing hers shortly after.

A perfect woman.

He sighed and got behind her. He could hear her gasp when he grabbed her arms and brought her backward. She was blushing and intrigued about where he was going with this.

That arousal was quickly replaced with animosity when she felt her wrists being tied together with ropes.

"You fucking bastard!" she whipped her head over her shoulder to see him finishing up the job, and tightly. He moved so fast that she hardly felt her legs being bound as well. "I hate you!"

Raditz chuckled while gathering her up in his arms. She aired her lungs the entire way and bit his shoulder with gumption. He twitched at the sharpness but kept a firm hold on the cursing beauty. "Well I'm over the moon for ya, but there's someone I need to take care of."

Launch was gently placed right beside her horse against a dead tree. He kissed her forehead before walking away. As he left, the woman called out to him. "Raditz! You better pray the west puts an end to you before I do!"

"Oh, don't worry!" Raditz paused to wink at her. "I have a feeling we'll meet again."

* * *

Broly froze and stared at the leader of the Saiyans. Whoever did that sketch of him really knew the details. Everything was there; from the flame hair to the scowl. "How do you know my father's name?"

Vegeta lowered his gun slightly. The vigilante didn't seem too keen on shooting him. The rifle was still pointed at the sky. "That depends," always the one to be cautious, Vegeta needed to test him first. "How much do you know about me?"

"I know you're a Saiyan," Broly took in a deep breath and gestured to Yamcha. "And you've killed a lot of innocent people."

"This coward is a friend of yours?"

"Not really. He was in the cell next to mine."

Cell?

Vegeta hadn't recall anyone saying anything about Paragus's son being in the hoosegow, or what the hell was even doing out right now a free man. Shit, he didn't know Paragus even had a son! "So you're out here hunting Saiyans with random strangers. Are you aware your father was a Saiyan?"

Broly's jaw clenched and unclenched. He had to live his entire life careful to not speak too much to others. His father never mentioned anything about being a Saiyan, yet the leader of them all knew who he was. There was also the body of one of the men that killed Paragus just a few feet away. "How about you answer some questions first before I get angry?"

Vegeta wasn't a coward, but he also wasn't an idiot. The man in front of him was more than twice his size. He placed his gun that was already low on bullets inside his holster and threw his hands up in the air to show he wasn't playing any tricks. "Fine. Go ahead."

"Why is Zarbon right there?"

"Oh, him?" Vegeta scoffed. "You know him, so you must be clearly aware of how much of an asshole he is. It's been a long time coming. What else you got?"

Broly was taken aback by this behavior. Most people that knew Zarbon was dead before they could utter such words. Yet here this little man was, so proudly showing off the corpse like it was a trophy. "F-Frieza," Broly stuttered whenever he said the tyrant's name. "Isn't going to be happy with you."

A smirk grew slowly across Vegeta's face until it turned into loud, cruel laughter. The man's comments got him so good his head went back and his shoulders shook. When he got back to standing straight, he motioned with one finger for Broly to follow him. They stood at the edge of the cliff and looked down. Broly's mouth slowly dropped open and he stared without blinking. Caught on the rocks was Frieza, dead as a doornail.

Broly brought his attention down to Vegeta, who stood with his arms across his chest. Just how crazy was this small Saiyan? "You did this?"

"Hell yeah."

"Aren't you scared about Cold and Cooler coming for you?"

Vegeta was a master of concealing fear and kept a straight face while looking up at the son of Paragus. Truth be told he had no idea where or when Cold and Cooler would be coming for him, and he would need to spend every day from now on glancing over his shoulder. The only thing he could do at the moment is dump the bodies in the hope nobody would suspect him of anything. "I'll fuck 'em up, too. Any other questions?"

The little man was a crazy son of a bitch.

"You said my father was a Saiyan. How'd you know him?"

"Didn't know him too well, but he was partners with my own father. He'd disappear for long periods of time and come back for a shorter amount until he just stopped coming around. He kept you pretty hidden for us not to know he had a son."

"Oh," Broly reddened and rubbed the back of his neck. He had no idea Paragus was associated with the Saiyans, but he did know his father was terrified of Frieza after a deal had gone wrong and they stayed hidden. Everything was working out perfectly until the purple-haired manic showed up outside their door. Murdered Paragus and threatened Broly to take the blame for it or else he'd kill another person he loved. He wasn't going to say all of this to the little man, though. "Good at hiding I guess."

Vegeta rolled his eyes. All that waiting in silence just to hear that short response. "Is that it for your questions?"

The taller of the two nodded, and Vegeta continued. "Good. Now it's my turn. You have a name?"

"Broly."

"Alright, Broly. Want to help me throw that thing over the cliff?" he pointed at Zarbon. "We need to have him hit Frieza on the way down so both of them fall through the ice. Can't risk being caught right now."

Broly frowned. Vegeta didn't understand the severity of what he had done, but thankfully Broly's only issue was with Frieza and the fucker was dead now. He decided it wouldn't hurt to assist the man who had killed the source of all his problems. As if he weighed nothing, Broly lifted Zarbon over his shoulder and dropped him where Vegeta directed. The weight of the henchman was enough to knock the boss off the rocks.

The two watched as the bodies cracked through the thin ice of the river below and floated there. Hopefully, by the time anyone came around, they would be deep underwater and lost forever.

Vegeta glanced at Broly and smirked. "If I know you didn't already sell your soul to the good guys, I would have you join the Saiyans in a heartbeat. Your father can return any time as well. We're going to need all the help we can get at Devil's Pass."

Broly offered a half-smile. He decided to keep his life to himself. "My job was to kill the Saiyans, but I'm not going to do that anymore. I'm going to start off new with a friend of mine."

"Your job? What the fuck do you mean? Who hired you?"

"A sheriff by the name of Krillin," Broly's gaze went to the snow beneath him, not wanting to see Vegeta's face when he told him. "I'm so sorry. He got the big man already."

He risked a glance at the Saiyan to see that Vegeta had paled completely. Without another word, the outlaw woke up the horses to get the stagecoach moving hastily to the woods where he had left his gang behind.

Vegeta could hear his heartbeat in his ears as he saw Nappa laying down on his side in the distance. He stopped the stagecoach a few yards away, now also seeing Sheriff Krillin standing above the oldest Saiyan of the gang. He was tucking his gun back into his holster after finishing his job.

Not wanting to deepen the trouble he was in, Vegeta decided to sneak up from behind instead of shooting from afar. He got close enough to smack Krillin in the back of his head with his gun, and the short man fell into the snow unconscious.

"Come on, Nappa. We need to get out of here."

When the body remained motionless, Vegeta's gun slipped from his hand and went down. He swallowed hard and moved in for a better look to see why his comrade wasn't getting up. There was a lot of red snow underneath Nappa and his cards were splayed all around him like he was forced to let them go.

Vegeta's throat was thickening when he fell to his knees beside the body of the man who took him in when he became an orphan at age fifteen. His hands that couldn't hold onto the gun were trembling when they reached for Nappa's neck. There was no pulse.

Nappa was dead.

Vegeta didn't turn around to see who had ridden up behind him. He just removed his hand slowly and sat cross-legged in front of his guardian.

"NO!" Raditz could be heard punching a tree from somewhere behind. There was a crack in his voice. "Fuck! They got Nappa!"

Vegeta toned out the mourning from the brothers that followed. There was pain ripping him up from the inside making him numb and it hit him harder than when his own father passed on.

* * *

After Krillin and Launch finished praying to the graves of Caulifla and Yamcha, they stood wordlessly by their horses and stared down at their worn-out boots. When Krillin had come to, he untied Launch and that's when they discovered the bodies of their fallen heroes.

Krillin placed his hat on top of his head and made eye contact with Launch at last. She had a variety of bruises and cuts all over her body after surviving her scuffle with Raditz. Broly had either run away or joined the Saiyans, and the sheriff didn't know which was worse.

They had suffered a heavy loss and weren't ready to face the Saiyans again.

"What do we do now?"

Krillin sighed and looked to the north. They wouldn't survive a showdown in Devil's Pass like this. He needed to head back to his own town. His wife and newborn child were still waiting for him there. Not only that, but Aces was there. Aces had Bulma. Bulma would be the key.

The trip would take three months for Krillin and Launch to return home. The Saiyans still had three months to get to Devil's Pass. Given the unlikely chance that they survive, it would be an additional six months for Vegeta to get back to Bulma.

It would provide plenty of time to figure out what to do then.

"Let's head home."

* * *

Linked arm in arm, Chi-Chi and Kakarot looked down the burial site. The four remaining members of the group that started in the north had spent the entire day making a hole big and comfortable enough to ensure an eternity's rest for Nappa. A rather gorgeous sunset on such a gloomy evening painted the sky around them. When Vegeta bowed his head and closed his eyes, the others did as well.

"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt," Vegeta's words caused Chi-Chi to crack one eye open. She couldn't believe a man like him knew prayer. The leader of the two other Saiyans cleared his throat and removed a flask from his jacket. "May the Master have mercy on Nappa's soul."

"Amen," Kakarot and Raditz said in unison while Chi-Chi repeated it shortly after. They watched Vegeta pour the whiskey on top of the soil. When there was nothing left, he kissed it and held it up to the sky before putting it down.

There were no other words spoken, just exchanges of sad looks. They had traveled two days away from the location of Nappa's death and the entirety of the ride was just the same. Nobody had the words to say how they really were feeling but their faces said it all.

Although Chi-Chi did find some redeeming qualities about Nappa after he burned her books, she wasn't hurting over his death like the Saiyans were. Her anguish came from somewhere else. That woman, whose name turned out to be Caulifla, was somewhere rotting in the ground too. It was all Chi-Chi's fault.

When the day came for her to meet her maker's face, would she be suffering in contempt for taking the life of another?

If the roles were reserved and Caulifla killed Kakarot, would the drink girl of Rose's be wondering the same?

Did any of that matter to these people? Was this just another part of their life they had to endure to survive?

How could she feel less guilty?

All these questions were giving her a migraine. Chi-Chi sat down in the box of the stagecoach and held her head in her hands while her elbows rested on her knees.

"You okay, darling?"

She felt the stagecoach move as Kakarot sat beside her. He was giving her arm a friendly touch. She finally looked up at him after releasing a long, slow sigh. "I get why you were so depressed after killing that lawman. I feel like I'm going to suffer my whole life."

Kakarot let her fall into his chest and he held on while rubbing her back. He knew her pain all too well. Each time he fired his gun, he felt it deep within his soul. "You're not a bad person, Chi-Chi. The only reason you did it was to stop her from killing me. That sounds pretty forgivable to anyone you tell it to. Well, lessen they hate me."

Chi-Chi's muffled voice came out after she took in his words. "I really wish I did hate you. This would be so much easier."

Kakarot didn't laugh. He hadn't since finding Nappa. He did however smile small as he pushed her back to see her face. "Wanna try to eat something? The guys are starting a fire." Much as it messed them up badly, it was nice to be able to have a fire at night again knowing the sheriff wasn't on their tail anymore.

"I'm not sure I'll be able to."

"Yeah," Kakarot breathed in and out while losing the smile he was trying so hard to keep. "Me either. But we need the heat."

Chi-Chi followed him down and they walked in silence to where Raditz and Vegeta were eating bread and beans they had inside the saddlebags. After Frieza had taken the majority of their belongings - which were mainly Chi-Chi's and Ox's - they were running low on supplies. They would have to make a stop somewhere first thing in the morning.

Raditz passed a can of dried fruit over to Chi-Chi, who took one nipple and was too nauseous to eat any more. Kakarot was able to eat some beans before thoughts of Nappa prevented him from finishing the can.

"You know what I just thought of?"

Vegeta chewed and swallowed. "What?"

"Do you remember when we put ketchup on our mouths and laid on the side of the trail?"

While Vegeta remained stoic, Raditz grinned and snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah! Those folks pulled their wagon over and were screaming their heads off thinking someone killed us. Then we'd jump up and scare the shit out of them!"

"Mmhm," Kakarot was now smiling too. "And that one psycho chased us all the way back to Aces demanding to talk to Pops! Damn were we lucky that Nappa pretended to be him!"

"Shit, Pops would have made coats from our skin if he knew we were fucking around with those people."

As they laughed, Chi-Chi noticed Vegeta hadn't looked up from his can. While the brothers continued to share memories that included him, he never once cracked a smile. It only made him appear more emotionless than before.

Kakarot was figuring it wasn't making him happy to think of Nappa so he cleared his throat after they finished laughing. The only sound soon after was the crackling of the fire. Not wanting to look at Vegeta, Kakrot noticed a stick by Chi-Chi's boot and picked it up.

"Can I show you something?"

When Raditz realized he was speaking to him and not Chi-Chi, his eyes widened and he got up off the blanket that was keeping him warm. "Is it worth my time?"

"Maybe," Kakarot pointed the end of the stick at the snow. "Grab your lantern, will ya?"

As Raditz did so, Kakarot began writing down letters when he saw the glow. He pointed at each one and said the letter name and sound. When he was done, he looked up at his older brother.

"So, whaddya think?"

Raditz wasn't sure why, but he felt a lump in his throat looking down at what Kakarot had written in the snow. "That's your name…You wrote your name?"

"Yup! Chi-Chi taught me!" he clicked his tongue and winked at her. "She's the best school ma'am there ever was. I reckon I'll be able to read sentences by the time we see Pops."

Kakarot was surprised by the sudden embrace his brother had dropped down to give him. Chi-Chi could see Raditz's face from where it appeared on Kakarot's shoulder. He mouthed a teary-eyed 'thank you' to her. Chi-Chi gave him a thumbs-up back, already knowing how smart Kakarot really was.

During the family moment, Vegeta was making coffee by holding a small pot filled with water and roasted Arbuckle beans over the flames until it boiled. Raditz went and got a horseshoe to drop inside to see if it sank or not. When it didn't, it meant the coffee was ready.

Still silent, Vegeta poured the black liquid into their canteens. Chi-Chi was the only one who didn't take him up on the offer. Never able to drink the tough liquid down without a little sugar, Kakarot picked up the jar of white grains and sprinkled more than some into his canteen. He took one sip and spit up the coffee all over the place.

"This is the worst one you've prepared yet, Vegeta! Yuck!"

"Fuck you, Kakarot! I made it the same as always!"

"He did," Raditz vouched for him and raised his canteen. He always drank his black. "It's the same as usual."

Kakarot licked the back of his palm as if that would rid the awful taste. "Why was mine so crappy?"

Chi-Chi arched an eyebrow and lifted the jar he had grabbed. She bit her lip and pointed to the word on the jar. "Sound these out for me."

Kakarot narrowed his eyes and took the jar from her. Holding it by the flames, he began. "Sssss. Aaaaah. Ulllllll. Tuh. Sss-aaah-ullll-tuh. Ss…" he blinked. "Salt?"

"Good job!" she squeezed his knee and giggled. "You put salt instead of sugar in your coffee!"

"You fucking dumbass!"

As embarrassing as it was, Kakarot found himself elated instead. Not only did he get Chi-Chi to laugh, but Vegeta too. It was the first time in days for both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This won't be the last time you see some of these characters, just fyi...  
> Once again, join me on twitter @cowboysaiyan so we can keep in touch <3


	14. Love Me or Hate Me, The Desert Seems to Say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chi-Chi learns a little more about Kakarot's past as they venture towards the west. Now in the desert landscape, she remembers a promise she made to Vegeta. Will she go through with it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since this is a historical AU that I've been trying my best to keep accurate, I figured I might as well provide some background information on locations and time. The present time our gang finds themselves in is 1871, after the Civil War and construction of the transcontinental railroad. I don't like using legit city/state names, but for an idea Chi-Chi came from the Michigan/Ohio area and that is where she met the Saiyans. Cold's Ridge is around the South Dakota/Wyoming area, and for this chapter they will be arriving in the Utah/Nevada area. Devil's Pass/Sunnybellow is in California.

_“Kakarot! Oh, Kakarot!" Gine stood with one hand on her hip and one hand against her forehead to block the summer sun from blinding her. "Where could that boy have run off to now!?"_

_"BOO!"_

_"AH!"_

_The child held his stomach that hurt from all the laughter while his mom clutched her beating heart. She dropped the freshly baked cake onto the dirt beneath her after being frightened. The hands that were gripping her chest went into her hair as she groaned._

_"Sweetheart! Look what you did! Raditz is gonna be home any minute!"_

_Kakarot stopped laughing when he finally noticed the ruined birthday dessert by their boots. He gave her a pout and wide-eyed blinks, his signature way of getting out of any trouble. He even stepped it up by wrapping his tiny arms around her legs. "Sowwy, Mama. We can make a other one! I wuv you!"_

_Gine felt her frustrations instantly vanished. She lifted up her youngest and kissed him all over his chubby cheeks. "Oh, my little baby. What am I going to do with you?"_

_The child clung to her neck as she carried him back inside their home. The four-year-old inhaled the scent of her hair and nuzzled his nose against the dark strands. It always smelled like whatever she was cooking up. She placed him on a chair while reheating the fireplace again for preparation. They were lucky that there was already some cornmeal ready from the first cake or this process of baking a new one would be even longer._

_"I wish someone could invent something to speed this up."_

_As Kakarot watched her throw more coals into the fireplace, he scratched the back of his messy head. There was something that had been bothering him for weeks now. "Mama?"_

_"What, baby?"_

_"Is your name 'Darling'?"_

_Gine smiled as she turned around. There was only one person that called her that on a daily basis. "No, honey. It's Gine."_

_Kakarot frowned. "Raditz said that. But Papa says Darling, Darling, Darling. Do you have two names?"_

_The mother clenched her fists together at the unbelievable cuteness of her son and then ran over to kiss him on the forehead. "Papa just calls me that, like I call you 'honey' or 'baby' sometimes."_

_"Why?"_

_Gine held his face in her hands and kept her grin while staring down at him. "Because he loves me. Because I love you. It's something you call someone when you can't imagine life without them. I'm his darling, you're my baby. Understand?"_

_Kakarot kicked his feet back and forth and tilted his head in his mother's loving grasp. "Uh-huh."_

_"Great. Now let's bake this cake."_

"Kakarot! I said, wouldn't it be nice to be able to bake?"

"Huh?" Kakarot shook his head to get back into the present. When Chi-Chi had gone off into a conversation about making johnnycakes, his memories brought him back to a day at the old ranch. She was looking at him and waiting for a response with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, of course, darling. I miss being near a kitchen, too."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just thinking about old stuff," he smiled assuredly and brought his attention to the trail in front of them. They were approaching the town of Prospector's Tusk, a rather quaint place but it would provide them with the supplies they needed. "I wish you could've had Ma's apple pies. They were the bettermost pies in all the west."

Chi-Chi grinned while watching the corner of his mouth on her side never go down. He loved talking about his mother. With their time together coming to a close in a matter of months, she wanted to know all she could. "You're the fastest gun in the west, your mom had the best pie in the west. You know how rare it is to find someone who is actually from there?"

"Born and raised," Kakarot glanced at her again. She always had a way of distracting him. "Never thought I'd be going back. 'Least not like this."

"What were you doing in the north besides robbing stagecoaches?" Chi-Chi asked as sweetly as she could, but it still made Kakarot lose his grin. "Most folks never leave the west. It's the land of opportunity, right?"

As they went slowed down through snow-covered rocks and bounced along the way, Kakarot had to focus on the trail again. He was silently grateful for the chance to avoid the conversation even if it wouldn't last long. Sure enough, she was questioning him again once they were back on flat land.

"Was it before or after your father was taken to Devil's Pass?"

"Ma'am," he stopped the stagecoach to look at her with a straight face. "If you're gonna keep hassling me like this, you better ante up with something good."

Chi-Chi rolled her eyes and put two fingers on her lips. She pressed those same fingers against Kakarot's mouth, then laughed when he furrowed his brows in response. "There. Now tell me."

It hard to stay serious with her. He shook his head and chuckled after her 'kiss'. "You're somethin' else darling, you know that? You really wanna know that much about me, huh?"

"Sure as sugar. Or should I say salt?"

Kakarot gently shoved her shoulder and rolled her eyes as she continued to laugh at him. It was nice to see her so happy. "Alright, fine. That big fella with the pink hair Vegeta killed? He showed up to our ranch and told us what Pops did. Or didn't do. Either way, we find out he's being sent to Devil's Pass for a public hanging. Raditz and me were trying to figure out what we were gonna do, then Pops has a letter come in the mail saying not to save him but our minds were already made up. We were going to get Vegeta and Nappa to help us."

Chi-Chi folded her arms across her chest with she felt the wind chill pick up. "How long has Bardock been in jail? You two couldn't have traveled up north that fast."

"His execution day will make a year and a half," Kakarot nodded at her wide eyes. "Yeah, I know. They kept him alive for a long time because there's a lot of folks coming to see it. They're making a big fandango out of it, those sick bastards."

"Who was the sheriff they claim he killed!? Sake's alive!" Chi-Chi gathered his hands into her own to offer her sincerity. "That's a hell of a thing. Most hangings take place the same week the heinous act occurred."

Kakarot shrugged and squeezed her hands back. "I haven't the slightest idea of who the person was. I just know it made people madder than hornets during a storm."

"I'd say so," Chi-Chi looked down at her lap where their hands were resting. Kakarot knew how many people were going to be there to watch his father die, but he wanted to save him anyway. That was true love. "You ought to stay away from there as he asked. It's a suicide mission." Her voice was quiet and caring, knowing that he wasn't going to change his mind but still offering her opinion from a good place.

"Like I mentioned before, princess. He's worth it," Kakarot crinkled his nose when she glanced up. "Aw, don't look so sad. Keep being a curious cat so we ain't thinking about that day."

Chi-Chi inhaled and exhaled slowly. No matter how either one of them felt, in the end, they would need to separate. Devil's Pass was just too dangerous for her, and there was no way he wasn't going to attempt the rescue. "When you joined the Saiyans, how old were you?"

"An honorary member at ten when my ma passed, I reckon. But I didn't start lootin' and shootin' until a few years after that. So," Kakarot let go of her hands to put his upward. "Thirteen?"

"Thirteen!?" Chi-Chi's mouth was agape. "That's _so_ young! You were just a child!"

"Didn't have time to really think about my age. Pops would take us along and we just got involved when we were asked. The three of us traveled between the west and the north more times than I could count," Kakarot leaned his back against the stagecoach. The sun shining down on his face as he looked up felt good on his otherwise cold skin. "I know this route like the back of my hand. Ain't never been to Devil's Pass, though. That'll be interesting."

Chi-Chi wasn't sure if she wanted to hold him or slap him. She decided to keep educating herself on him instead. "What sorts of crimes did the Saiyans have you do?"

"It wasn't all crimes, darling. Remember Aces? Pops and I built that."

"What!?" _The_ Aces? The same one she was floored by? "Why didn't you mention that before!?"

"Didn't think it mattered," Kakarot chuckled while taking a glance at her balled up fists. She was either excited or wanted to sock him a good one. "I told ya I did buildings with him."

Her hands gathered up his black leather jacket and pulled him close. She shook him with each word that came out. "I thought you meant tiny shacks! Not a full-on saloon!"

With the tips of their noses touching, the outlaw couldn't help but have a thought run through the back of his head. "I'm a man of many trades," he smirked along with his whisper. "I could take good care of you if you'd have me."

Her eyelashes were giving his eyelids butterfly kisses as she continued to blink. She brought herself back and examined his face, completely ignoring the offer he gave. "Your beard's coming back."

"You like it?"

"No," she lied. "It makes you look like a grizzly."

"RAWR!"

"AH!"

After raising his 'paws' at her, he was now reaching out to her but was too late. She fell off the side of the stagecoach and landed in the snow on her back. He was looking down at Chi-Chi who was groaning. He couldn't hold back his laughter and had to go back just to get it out of his system. When he thought he was done, he went back to the edge. "How'd you get scared? You were looking right at me!"

"Can ya help a gal up or not!?"

Kakarot jumped down and helped bring her to her feet. He was nice enough to brush off any extra snow she had on her. He earned a growl when he patted it off her bottom. "Sorry!" he narrowly avoided the slap coming for his face. "You can't see back there!"

Looking at his pout as he was backed into the stagecoach didn't work on her as it did to his mom. She jabbed his chest with her finger and spoke through clenched teeth. "What did I tell you about getting slick with me, mister!?"

As she continued to scold him, Kakarot didn't hear a word she said. He was too busy smiling at the way her eyes lit up. They always did whenever her temper got the best of her.

* * *

"Where the fuck are those two now!? I swear I need to keep them on a lasso!"

"Relax Vegeta," Raditz examined a case of bullets that were underneath a glass container. "Prospector's Tusk is safe. They've got time to fool around."

The leader of the Saiyans grumbled something under his breath and left Raditz to look at what was left for food. Once again, it appeared all they were going to be eating the remainder of the treats were beans and dried fruit. He threw them all into the basket begrudgingly, praying the day he was able to sit down to a decent meal would be sooner rather than later.

He subconsciously patted his pockets to make sure the ring was still there before walking back to Raditz. "Are you still considering taking a stop at Gine's grave before we see Bardock?"

Raditz looked up from the bullets and gave Vegeta a half-smile. "If Kakarot's up to it. Personally, I've had enough of death and all this depressing shit. Why?"

Vegeta glanced at the tin cans inside the woven basket. Nappa's absence was making him go crazy. There was never a moment where he'd let his men see a softer side to him, but the last week has taken him through the mill. He barely spoke to any of them and when he did, it was either insulting or brief. After a while, he took a ragged breath. "It'll be the last time you can see her. I'd consider it if I were you."

Raditz realized he was right about that. After they got Bardock, there was no way they'd ever be able to return. They would be outlaws with a runaway fugitive. "Alright. I'll get a little something to leave with her. How's your gun? Need a fill?"

Vegeta checked the magazine. "Empty. Get some ammo. I'm not loading until we're near the prison."

"You sure, boss?"

"Yeah. I doubt we'll be running into any problems for a while after all that shit."

"Well if we do, you know I got your back."

Vegeta held back his crude comment. Raditz was the worst shot in the gang. He'd end up dead instead of being saved. They both looked at the door when it swung open. Kakarot and Chi-Chi had finally decided to join them. "Enjoy a quick fuck in the snow?"

While Chi-Chi scowled, Kakarot draped an arm over the shoulder of his long time friend. "Glad to see you're back to your old self there, Vegeta! Wanna go take a gander at some new threads? That poncho looks like it's past the expiration date." When the leader shoved the basket into Kakarot's stomach and stormed off, the messy-haired Saiyan called out after him. "I was just foolin'! It looks great!"

The two brothers watched as Vegeta walked into the clothing store across the way and started cracking up. While they enjoyed themselves, Chi-Chi had disappeared to the stationary section to see what was in stock. Kakarot hadn't even noticed she disappeared and only noticed when he could hear her sharing a laugh with somebody. He turned around the same time Raditz did to see her talking to the young man who swept the floors.

Not only was she laughing, but she put her hand on his chest.

Watching the two interacting, Kakarot felt a strange aching feeling forming inside. He wanted to tell her to stop talking the man, but Chi-Chi wasn't his girl. He didn't want to control her, either. Unsure of what he disliked more - what he was seeing or what he was feeling - he turned to his brother for help. "Whaddya think about that, Raditz?"

Raditz arched an eyebrow after following his brother's line of vision. "He's pretty shitty at his job. This place is dusty as all get out."

"Not that," Kakarot narrowed his eyes. "Chi-Chi and that fella over there. You think she likes him?"

When the older brother looked, all he could see were two people being cordial to one another. He switched his gaze between them and Kakarot until a smirk grew. "Ah, don't tell me you're jealous?"

"Jealous?" Kakarot said it as if he were offended. "I don't get jealous. I was just wondering if you think she likes him."

"Uh...huh," Raditz tapped on the glass for the owner to get the bullets out of the case and then brought his attention back to his brother. "He's the type of guy she _should_ be with, but I reckon she's just being friendly. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you."

"Should be with? What do you mean?"

"Well...look at him," Raditz took money out of his back pocket and handed it to the seller. "Decent, low paying job. Clean. Fresh-faced. Pretty sure no blood on his hands. What's not there for Teach to love?"

Unsure if he was kidding or not, Kakarot walked over to where Chi-Chi was. He could hear them discussing a book about a whale before he stepped in. "Howdy, folks. Mind telling me where... Oh, what's this?" Kakarot took off his hat and looked down at Chi-Chi like it was his first time ever seeing her. "You look familiar, young lady. Got any Saiyan in you?"

Chi-Chi flushed at his closeness but didn't inch away. She didn't know if she wanted to play his little game or not but found herself saying, "...No?"

"Want some?"

When Chi-Chi's jaw dropped, the sweeper looked between the two. While the woman looked mortified, the man was winking. He cleared his throat and struck up his chest towards the much taller cowboy. "I don't know what a Saiyan is, but why don't you g'on ahead and leave this woman alone?"

Ignoring the sweeper, Kakarot ran his fingers lightly over her wrist as he moved by. He bent his head down to whisper into her ear before leaving. "Come find me when you're done."

Chi-Chi couldn't even hear the sweeper trying to check in on her. She was eyeing Kakarot as he joined his brother at the door. Her ogling didn't go unnoticed. The younger Saiyan was smirking, proud of himself to leave her frozen in a state of shock, embarrassment, and just a sliver of attraction. She couldn't remember what she had come to the section to look for. She left the worker to follow Kakarot to the cool outdoors.

"H-Hey!" she found her voice at last although it was raspy. "Wait!"

With his hands behind his back, Kakarot swiveled around and bowed to her. "Yes, Chi-Chi? How may I assist you?"

"What was that all about!?" she was still pink-cheeked as she tapped her boot impatiently on the dirty snow beneath her. "How could you say something so vulgar!?"

"Me?" Kakarot pointed to himself and feigned a gasp. "I have no idea what you're referring to, ma'am. You didn't seem too happy with that greenhorn breathing down your neck so I offered my helping hand."

Chi-Chi opened her mouth to yell at him, but then closed it. Was that his way of being envious? "Kakarot," her voice was teasing as she got closer to him. "Was someone a little jealous?"

"No!" he said quickly and turned around. By the tensing of his shoulders, Chi-Chi knew she was right. She giggled into her hands and ran around to his front side. He kept turning so she couldn't see his face but she wouldn't stop running to see it.

"Eek!"

She slipped on the ice and landed on her backside again after running too fast. Kakarot slapped his forehead while looking at her wiggling like a flipped over cockroach. "Are you serious!? Twice in a day?"

Chi-Chi struck her hand up and fumed. "It's always _your_ fault, you mule!"

Once Kakarot got her up again, she punched his chest. He rubbed the sore spot with a grin. "I didn't make you run in circles now, did I?"

Before she could get another hit in, someone caught their eye. Vegeta was holding a pile of his old clothes and wearing his brand new ones. In addition to looking fresh in all black shirt layers and pants, he also wore a crisp black duster. His new cowboy hat was a dark gray and his metal pistol stood out in his holster. He scratched at the stubble on his chin while the gang gawked at him.

Raditz whistled lowly while observing his boss. "Hot damn, Vegeta! That hat covers up your big ol' forehead nicely!"

"Fuck you," he spat out on the ground and motioned for them to follow him. "Load up the stagecoach. We'll be hitting the west in a few weeks. Hope you're ready."

Kakarot grinned and followed Vegeta with his eyes as the shorter Saiyan walked by. "You really do look sharp, Vegeta! You should keep that clean for your wedding day!"

Chi-Chi winced, thinking that the leader was going to snap after realizing she told Kakarot all about what he said in his letter to Bulma. She chanced a look at him to see Vegeta chuckling instead.

"Come on, idiot. Your father's waiting."

* * *

The weeks that followed were calm, a little _too_ calm, but Chi-Chi enjoyed them nonetheless. She was able to introduce Kakarot to the world of sight words, and he even memorized a few. As miles passed, they were noticing less snow on the trail until there was none at all. It was still cold, but nothing a simple coat couldn't fare against.

Raditz and Vegeta paused on their horses, causing Kakarot and Chi-Chi to do the same in the stagecoach. Standing on a cliff, they were overlooking a vista of red rocks and green cacti. Chi-Chi stood up on the stagecoach seat to get a better view and gasped loudly. The sight of the western part of the country made tears form in the corners of her eyes. She wiped them and sniffed.

"It's so beautiful."

Kakarot grinned. He had to admit as many times he had seen this view, it got him each time. "Sure is. We'll be in Sunnybellow in less than two months. You ready?"

"Never been so ready in my life."

"Well, sit down then! I can't have you flying off!"

The four traveled through the desert until the sun began to set. Chi-Chi thought the sunsets in the north were gorgeous, but it was nothing compared to the western skies. She breathed in the cool air and threw her arms back after getting off the stagecoach. How she wished her daddy could be part of this right now. It was indescribable.

Her companions seemed less enthralled. While she took in the beauty, Vegeta was starting a fire for the night and Raditz was whispering something to Kakarot. The youngest Saiyan jogged over to Chi-Chi and interrupted her moment of peace.

"Mind keeping Vegeta company? Raditz wanted to take a ride with me right quick."

Chi-Chi sighed a little too loudly, causing Vegeta to glare up at her as he made the fire stronger. "Promise it'll be quick?"

"I swear."

As the brothers rode off, Chi-Chi sat down as far as she could from Vegeta but close enough to the fire to stay warm. She held her hands in front of it and avoided eye contact with the Saiyan. A long time had passed where she felt no animosity towards him, but the dreams of the west alive now more than ever reminded her that she shouldn't be here alone.

"What's your problem, girl?"

"Nothing," Chi-Chi kept a straight mouth and focused on the flickering of the flames. "Just thinking about how my father should be here with me instead of you."

Vegeta's stare was hard as he looked through the fire at the former debutante. Anyone was a fool to believe she was the forgiving type. After all these months and favors, there was no doubt in his mind she still wanted him dead. He had been too focused on the retaliation of killing Frieza and the loss of Nappa that he forgot about the real issue at hand. She did say that she was going to kill him at the end of her journey.

"Nappa was always fond of the west."

Chi-Chi ground her teeth slightly, her eyes now shifting upward to see Vegeta's face. He was looking right at her. "Don't try to make me feel bad for you because I don't."

"I wasn't trying to," Vegeta's voice remained emotionless and his expression was hard for her to read. "You can be really pretentious, woman. You're not the only one going through something."

"Excuse me?" It was the same old issue between them. He'd never believe he was wrong for what he did. She didn't need it, but she thought he'd at least apologize after all the times she saved him. "Have you forgotten you're the one who took everything from me? I have a right to talk to you however I want. I hate you."

Vegeta wasn't going to be the first one to look away despite her eyes boring into him. "If you hate me so much, why didn't you shoot me when I was confined in the bed at Rose's? Shit, even when I passed out before that? You gave me the heads up about Dodoria. You think that's hate?"

"I felt pity for you!" Chi-Chi snapped and was standing up now. She was huffing as Vegeta did the same. Now they were only inches apart. "When I kill you, I want it to be even! I want to be the one to make you suffer for everything you've ever done when you're feeling confident! Get you where it really hurts!"

"You know what I think?" Vegeta searched her eyes. They were even in height with her boots on. The corner of his lips twitched while her teeth were bared on full display. His voice was a lot gentler than hers. "I think the only reason you shot that poor whore was because of your sweetheart on the other end. Otherwise, you don't have the balls to stand up for yourself. You don't want to taint your precious soul."

Chi-Chi felt her face burning up against a mixture of the flames nearby and his truthful words. She didn't want this life of sin, but the Saiyans kept pulling her in. Would it be acceptable to commit one more before leaving this all behind for good?

She'd just have to find out.

"We'll settle this once and for all. A duel. Right here, right now."

Vegeta's eyebrows raised in surprise as she began backing up to give them space for firing. Watching her undo her coat to reveal the holster squeezing her trim figure, the Saiyan looked down at his own weapon. "You sure you want to do this? After everything we've been through together?"

"And not once did you ever say 'thank you'!"

"Is that what this is all about? You want my gratitude?"

"No, you bastard!" Chi-Chi nearly shrieked and spread her legs so they were at an even width to her shoulders. Her one shot had to be perfect. "I don't want you to do anything for me! I'm just so sick and tired of feeling bad for you when you clearly don't care! I should feel bad for Bulma and your child but now I see I'll be doing them a favor! I can't move on knowing you still have everything when I have nothing!"

Vegeta stood still as the tears started rolling down her face. She still hadn't drawn her gun, but it felt like he had been shot in the chest. He was always suspicious she'd switch up on him, but she was the only reason he was alive. Kakarot, too.

"I'm sorry."

Chi-Chi rubbed her eyes with the sleeve of her coat before double-checking she heard him correctly. He had said it so quietly. "What did you say?"

"I'm sorry I killed your father."

Stuck in the soil of where she stood, Chi-Chi blinked in silence for a good while to see he meant what he said. His eyes never broke their contact with her own. A rage from deep within sent her head back as she screamed out in frustration. "That doesn't change anything!" she spoke as she cried, and the words came out in stutters. "I'm not letting you go this time!"

"I know," Vegeta sat up as straight as he could and placed his hand on his holster. His voice had remained eerily calm despite her break down. "I accept your draw. The last one standing wins."

* * *

"I wanted to show you what I got for Ma's grave."

"Ma's..." Kakarot's eyes widened as he took the small doll from his brother's hand. It had similar hair to that of his mother's. He turned it over a few times before slowly handing it back. "We're going to stop by to see her?"

Raditz shrugged and placed the doll back inside his saddlebag. They were still on the horses but less than a mile away from where they had left Chi-Chi and Vegeta. He didn't want to be near them just in case his voice cracked. "If you want to. It's our last goodbye."

"Aw," Kakarot dropped his head and closed his eyes tightly. "Why'd you have to say it like that?"

"It's the truth. We can't come back."

The younger brother brought his head back to look up at the stars. The ones out here in the west illuminated the sky a much prettier shade than the stars of the north. It was his most favorite part of home. There was one that always shined brighter than the others, and he knew it was Ma telling him it was going to be okay. "Can you just promise me the new place will have stars just like this?"

"Of course," Raditz looked up at what Kakarot saw and found himself smiling just the same; childlike. "How are you feeling about Devil's Pass?"

"Not gonna lie," Kakarot sighed as he brought his head back down. "I'm a bit scared. I'm scared we'll be late and see his body danglin' there, or we'll get shot down trying to get him out. I hope the other guys have our back like they said they would."

Raditz sweatdropped. He hadn't visualized his father being hanged but Kakarot put the image in his head. He swallowed his nerves down and sounded calm. "Uncle Tora never let us down before. He'll show. They all will."

The younger brother gave his brother a fist bump, knowing he was always right about everything. They turned their horses around and started heading back to camp.

"I sure wish Nappa was here with us."

"Me too brother," Raditz sighed and moved at a pace even with Kakarot. "Me too."

They were going to say more to one another, but a peculiar scene caused them to freeze. Chi-Chi and Vegeta were standing a few feet apart from one another, both their hands on their holsters. It was as if time slowed in Kakarot's eyes as Chi-Chi removed her gun and immediately got into the position he taught her.

"CHI-CHI! STOP!"

Kakarot jumped off his horse mid-ride and rolled on the ground. He scrambled to his feet and charged towards Chi-Chi, screaming her name to stop. She wasn't listening to him. He tackled her the moment she pulled the trigger. Holding her down on the ground, the two looked up to see Vegeta staggering backward. He was holding onto his shoulder with blood pouring down to stain the desert dirt red.

"VEGETA!"

Kakarot pushed himself off Chi-Chi and caught the outlaw before he could fall down. Vegeta put one arm around his neck as he was lowering them down. "K-Kakarot," he was struggling to keep his eyes open through the agonizing wound she had inflicted. "It fucking hurts. I'm not going to make it."

The younger one laid his best friend down on the ground and tried to see if the bullet had gone straight through or not. In the darkness, it was difficult to tell. He hurriedly wiped his runny nose on the back of his hand, mixing Vegeta's blood on his face along with it. "That's it. I'm taking you to Doc."

"NO!" Vegeta's eyes popped wide open and he used the strength he had to pull on Kakarot's jacket with his strong hand. "Just finish the job now! I'd rather bleed out than deal with their shit!"

Against his will, Kakarot lifted Vegeta up and carried him to the stagecoach. He was fading in and out of consciousness the entire way until he knocked out completely. He placed him inside and climbed to the front. He whipped the horses to take off but shouted out to Raditz before getting too far away.

"We're heading to the Doc!"

"Meet you there!" Raditz called back and then looked at Chi-Chi who joined his side. She was still holding the big iron. "I hope you're happy with yourself, Teach. I'd respect you if it was fair. What you did was just cowardly."

She finally put the gun in her holster and raised her hands up defensively. Raditz was getting onto his horse and snapping his fingers for her to hurry up and get on the other one.

"What the hell do you mean!? It was a draw of the quickest and I won!"

"His gun had no bullets."

Chi-Chi stared at the back of Raditz as he went on ahead of her. Upon the saddle, she didn't know if what she was feeling was guilt, satisfaction, or confusion. If Vegeta's gun didn't have any bullets, why in heavens did he agree to a draw?

* * *

The door opened up slightly, and then fully once the owner of the large house recognized the men on his porch. He shined his lantern on both their faces, first on the injured one then on the one assisting him.

"What in the world are you boys doing here!? I thought you were settled up north!"

"Sorry, Dr. Brief. Your future son-in-law here wanted to pay you a little visit."

"Fuck...you..."


	15. Sheep Led By a Lion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Glimpses of Vegeta's past are revealed and Chi-Chi comes to terms with the leader of the Saiyans once and for all.

"OH MY POOR BABY!"

"NO!" Vegeta was stuck to the bed against his will and couldn't escape the barrage of kisses to his face. Bulma's mother was loving up on him on account of the years that had passed and now he has arrived covered in blood. "Fuck! Make it stop!"

Kakarot laughed as Mrs. Brief continued to shower him with kisses. Dr. Brief was putting together a concoction that would knock Vegeta out long enough to perform the surgery on his shoulder. "Aw, she's just happy to see ya!"

With tears in her eyes seeing him like this, Mrs. Brief held his hand tightly. Vegeta was too weak to remove it from her grasp. Dr. Brief arrived at the opposite side and revealed a syringe he was trying to keep out of sight from Kakarot. It had failed because, within seconds, all three of them heard him drop to the floor unconscious from his fear.

"Still hasn't gotten over that, has he?"

"Just give me the fucking morphine, Doc!" Vegeta pleaded. "I'll be out of here quicker."

Dr. Brief shook his head as he laughed. The guy was always such a riot. "Now, Vegeta. If I do that, you'll bleed out and die. Close your eyes and relax, my dear boy. You're at home here."

Vegeta grunted quietly, knowing there was no escape. These lunatics were going to question him about everything under the moon until he came clean about his life as an outlaw. The only two people in the world he didn't want to know. As Dr. Brief injected him with his mystery potion, Vegeta could feel his eyes growing heavier and heavier until he closed them completely. As Mrs. Brief prepped and Dr. Brief began operating, they noticed there was a small smile on his face as he dreamed of distant memories.

* * *

_1855_

"Father, couldn't you have at least dropped me off somewhere before coming here? This place reeks of cow manure."

At the same time, the older Vegeta and Nappa looked at one another and started roaring with laughter. That was one of their inside jokes whenever coming to talk to Bardock. The son was squeezed in-between the two as the wagon came to a stop in front of the wooden cabin. Sure enough, cows were grazing in a hand-made pastor and chickens were clucking around freely. They could hear an oinking or two coming from somewhere unseen.

"Ease up, son. Go play with his boys. They're usually up to some sort of mischief."

Vegeta rolled his eyes and got down as soon as Nappa did. His father left them behind as he entered the home without a knock on the door. The bald Saiyan looked down at the child and ruffled his head.

"Why don't you show them that new gun I got ya?"

His eyes lit up but he looked away quickly so Nappa wouldn't see. Blushing, he shrugged his shoulders. "I reckon that's fine. Where are they?"

"I see the scamps playing with tin cans in the back most of the time. Go check it out."

Vegeta clenched his little fists in contained excitement and ran to where Nappa said the other children would be. When he finally got there, a girl with long black hair in a ponytail was making a little boy cry by holding worms too close to his face.

"Where's the other boy!? Nappa said there were two boys, not a boy and a girl!"

"Huh?" the girl turned around with the worm hanging above her head and then scowled when she noticed the stranger was pointing at her. "I'm not a girl, asshole!"

Hearing the voice, Vegeta laughed cruelly. "I've never seen a boy with that long hair before! You look like a freak show!"

"Haha!" the little one who was being tormented snickered and got to his feet. "Freak show, freak show, freak- OW! I'm telling Mama you punched me!"

Vegeta's lip twitched at the young one's messy spikes as the brothers began slapping each other. The entire family had awful hair. He glanced away to the tin cans that were sitting on top of the fence. He could see bullet holes in them from where they were struck before. Without a word, he removed his gun from his pocket and fired a round.

When they heard the gun go off, the two other boys were startled. They joined the strange kid's side and awed at the sight of the smoke coming out of the barrel. The can he had aimed out was now on the grass.

"Whoa! This new kid is the bee's knees!" the little one made an 'o' shape with his mouth and slapped his own face in dramatic shock. "Raditz misses that one every single time!"

"SHUT UP, KAKAROT!" Raditz fumed and smacked his brother on the back of his side. The child cried as he rubbed the sore spot, but was ignored. "What's your name, new kid?"

"Vegeta."

"Oh, like Pops' new friend?"

"It's a family name," the flame-haired boy said proudly and stood up straighter than ever. "We all know how to shoot. It runs in the blood."

As if he was never smacked, Kakarot pipped up. "I know how to shoot, too! Papa said I'm really good, but Mama don't like it when I try."

Vegeta's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets while looking the child up and down. "You, handle a gun!? You're like four years old!"

"AM NOT!" Kakarot stomped his little boot into the dirt in defiance. "I'm seven!"

"You're rather short for a seven-year-old," Vegeta stuck his tongue out at Kakarot then brought his attention to Raditz. The two of them were even in height. "How old are you?"

Raditz eyed Vegeta suspiciously, unsure if he should trust this newcomer or not. "Eleven."

"Well, I'm twelve so that makes me the boss!" Vegeta made a little 'hmph' sound while the brothers groaned about how unfair that was. While he mocked them with laughter, a girl's voice came from behind him.

"I'm twelve and a half so _I'm_ the boss, not you."

Whipping around, Vegeta saw yet another kid with strange hair. It was the brightest blue color he had ever seen. She wore it in a high ponytail and crossed her arms over her flat chest.

"Girls can't be bosses!" he snarled as she approached him even closer. "Get the fuck out of here!"

"Fuck you!" she snapped back and surprised him. He didn't think little girls talked that way. She stood taller than him, and Vegeta blamed it on her ugly white boots. "Miss Gine sent me out here to see what that noise was! Kakarot's not allowed to be around guns!"

"Aw, but Bulma!" Kakarot pouted and skipped over to her. He was pulling on the hem of her dress. "You know I'm good! I won't hurt nobody!"

As the two argued, Vegeta whistled for Raditz's attention. "Hey jackass, is this bitch your sister?"

"Nah, fucker. That's Bulma. She lives a few towns over."

"Why is she _here_ then, acting like she owns the place?"

Raditz shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. Ma likes her company. Our folks are friends," the long-haired boy made a face. "Just like you. You two could be like peas and carrots."

Turning red at the suggestion, Vegeta shoved Raditz so harshly the boy fell onto his back. The oldest son of Bardock was quick to get back on his feet and ready to give Vegeta a shiner on his eye, but there were other plans written in the stars. Bulma had punched the back of Vegeta's head and sent him stumbling forward. Raditz pushed him back to her. Vegeta grabbed her wrist tightly before she could hit him again. With a violent roar erupting from deep within his throat, he forced her to the ground and got on top of her. He raised his fist to his ear and was prepared to beat the shit out of her when a shriek exploded in the west.

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE!?"

Bulma and Vegeta looked to see the loud sound had come from a short female. Her hands were wiping furiously on her apron while storming towards the two. Vegeta wasn't scared of much, but there was no denying she made him gulp.

"Oh, Miss Gine!" Bulma smiled nervously from underneath Vegeta. "I fell down. This sweet boy was just helping me up. Isn't that right?"

Vegeta was finally able to break his gaze with the ferocious mama to see Bulma winking and mouthing 'please-don't-fuck-this-up'. He released a sigh and assisted her with standing up. They brushed themselves off while Gine's features relaxed.

"Y'all had me worried there for a hot second," Gine shook her head and reached out her hand for Kakarot to grab. "I sure could use a few hands getting lunch ready. Three overgrown men are at the table."

"Sure thing!" Bulma saluted her and followed behind, but not before giving Vegeta a middle finger from behind her back. As Vegeta stammered at the audacity of the bitch, Raditz placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, yeah. She wants you."

_1859_

"I'm so sorry, Vegeta. You can stay as long as you like."

He detested everything about this. The morons were gathered around him in a circle like he needed an intervention. Nappa was out in the wagon waiting for him since he was planning on this being a quick deliverance of a message. Somehow, he ended up in a chair surrounded by this emotional family. Kakarot was crying in the corner of the room. Bardock and Raditz had their hands on his shoulders, and the fucking girl was sitting directly across from him.

This is the last thing he wanted.

Their pity.

Only a year ago, Gine was killed in this very spot. After witnessing it all and killing the one who done it dead on the spot, the now eleven-year-old Kakarot wasn't as cheerful as he used to be. Raditz had grown colder as well. The only one who never changed was Vegeta himself, who now at sixteen was entitled to the leadership of the Saiyans. He had been proven ruthless enough to be capable of the job, but Bardock wasn't too sure.

"I just came to give you the word before you hear it from someone else. I'll be giving the orders from here on out."

"Kid," Bardock removed his hand from Vegeta's shoulder and ran it through the same messy spikes his youngest son had. "This is a really fucked up situation. Why don't you take time to think this through?"

"What's there to think about?" Vegeta spat on the floor and glared up at the young father. "He was too slow. He's a disgrace to all Saiyans and no dad of mine."

Kakarot was now looking at him through watery eyes. Only a year ago Vegeta was holding him as he broke down at his mother's funeral. "How could you say something so awful?" he sniffed. "That's your dad, you're supposed to love each other!"

"Well, I don't!" Vegeta barked and forced himself out of the chair. Bulma had gotten up to follow him out the door as he left the others behind. He didn't realize she was there until he slammed the door and didn't hear it shut. When he turned around, she was closing it gently and frowning. "Get the fuck back inside! You live your life to annoy me! Give me a fucking break for once!"

"Vegeta," she reached a hand out to touch his rising chest. She tried over and over each time he slapped it away until he finally allowed it. Her sapphire eyes were searching his for any glimpse of what was really going on inside. "It's okay to not be tough all the time. Nobody will judge you for it."

"Fuck you," he whispered but his voice still cracked. She was hugging him now. Her arms were around his neck and she pressed her cheek against his. His growth spurt had finally made them even in height. He hesitated, but his hands found their way to her lower back. Underneath the cover of Bardock's house, they held on tightly to one another in silence. "Why can't you ever leave me alone?"

"You know me better than that," she kissed his cheek and then pulled back to look at his handsome face. "You idiot."

"Bitch."

His eyes widened when her lips touched his own. They closed once he deepened it by moving one hand up to the back of her head. Bulma responded by caressing his jawline. He backed her up against the wall and delighted in the sound of her moaning softly. It would have continued to get better if Bardock hadn't opened the door. Bulma pushed Vegeta off her quickly and both of the teens were as pink as Bardock.

"Uh," Bardock was glancing up at the stars to avoid direct eye contact with them. "I was just seeing if you wanted a ride back home, Bulma. I didn't realize how late it was."

Before Bulma could say anything, Vegeta blurted out. "I'll take her!" Without any other exchange, Vegeta grabbed her by the hand and dragged her to the wagon where Nappa was waiting. The now oldest Saiyan was falling asleep and jumped when he felt the wagon shake. He cleared his throat as Vegeta got close to him to make room for the girl.

"H-Hi, Miss Bulma," Nappa eventually grinned. "Didn't think we'd have company tonight."

"You don't," she assured him. "Do you remember where I live?"

"Say less," Nappa winked and started moving. He noticed the two were holding hands the entire ride to where the doctor resided but not a word was spoken between them. They looked more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. They came to a stop in front of the large mansion-esque building that stood alone in the outskirts of a town like it didn't belong there. "Here ya are."

The teens got off together, and still, their hands were connected. Vegeta didn't even drop it as they saw the man waiting on the porch cleaning off his rifle.

"Was he expecting me?" the Saiyan whispered.

"Maybe," she said back but then spoke loud enough for her father to hear. She let go of Vegeta while doing so. "Hi, Daddy! You been out here waiting for me or something!?"

The doctor's bushy eyebrows went up in surprise. He stood up from his chair and placed his gun in the empty spot before giving his attention back to his daughter. "I was getting a little worried!" They embraced tightly and Dr. Brief adjusted his glasses when they separated. "All that talk about a war coming I was out here prepared to defend the house and you if I needed to."

Bulma rolled her eyes and waved off her father's worries. "It's not going to happen, Daddy. You need to relax."

"I think I just need to smoke," he chuckled and shifted his focus to the young man hovering behind his daughter. "Who's your little friend?"

"Oh, him?" Bulma acted as if she didn't know what he was doing there. "He's one of Kakarot's companions. Say hi, Vegeta."

When the Saiyan didn't utter a word, Dr. Brief laughed louder and took two cigarettes out from his pocket. "You smoke, Vegeta?"

"Never tried it."

Dr. Brief gasped and patted the non-riffle seat beside him. Vegeta looked at Bulma who was threatening him with her eyes and ignored her. He sat down beside the doctor and was given a white stick. "Came straight from England. A patient gave it to me as a form of payment. Perhaps the best damn cigarettes I've ever tried." As Dr. Brief showed Vegeta how to light, inhale, exhale, and everything in between, Bulma watched in disbelief. The Saiyan was fitting right in as if he lived there his entire life.

"You use that rifle a lot?"

"No, young sir. It's more of a decorative item if I'm being truthful. You know about guns?"

"Just about everything there is," Vegeta grimaced at the initial burning in his throat but then swallowed it back. He removed the gun from his handmade holster and handed it over to Bulma's father. "Here. That one you have is a piece of shit. This is a real widow maker."

The doctor examined the gun in amazement at the lightness of it. He didn't even question how a sixteen-year-old had such a powerful weapon. "You positive you won't be needing it?"

"Nope," Vegeta exhaled and felt his body relaxing at last. "I'm packing plenty."

Bulma looked on in horror as the door swung open to reveal her mother. The blonde woman gave her husband a sloppy kiss before gushing over the house guest. "Oh, my! Look at that face!" she pinched his cheeks and Vegeta growled at the touch. "You are just scrumptious! Bulma dear, please tell me you're going steady with this cutie!?"

"MOTHER!" Bulma's face was burning as Vegeta started to laugh at her embarrassment. "GO BACK INSIDE!"

"Don't be rude now," Vegeta teased darkly, leading Bulma's heart rate to increase further. "Your mother knows a good thing when she sees it."

The teenager screamed, stamped her foot, and slammed the door behind her as she hid inside the house. Vegeta shrugged and spent another hour with the doctor and the missus until Nappa was whistling for him to hurry up. The woman left a mark on his cheek while the doctor gave him a firm handshake. Nappa shook his head while looking at Vegeta when he got inside the wagon.

"You're somethin' else, boss. Where do you want to go now?"

"How am I supposed to know!? Where was Father meeting us?"

Nappa held in his breath as Vegeta froze after asking the question. He could tell by the teen's quivering lip that he had been holding it back all day. Nappa looked over his shoulder to make sure the Briefs weren't watching and then opened his arms widely. The orphan accepted it after the tight pang in his chest was too much to handle. The oldest Saiyan felt him shake, knowing the tears were falling even if they were silent.

"It's alright son," Nappa rubbed Vegeta's back and sighed. "We'll be alright. I promise."

_1861_

"You were being serious?"

"Don't like the get-up?"

"It's not about the uniform," Bulma held Vegeta's hands in her own as they stood hidden in the trees just outside of town. He actually looked great in the navy colors. "You could die."

"It's a chance I'm willing to take."

In the privacy of nature, the intensity between them had hit its peak. Neither of them was sure of what they were, but the feeling of wanting to be close hadn't faded through their teen years. Both at eighteen, they were able to make their own decisions. Vegeta was heading back to the North to defend the land from the South. The long-feared war had finally come to fruition.

"Do you still want me?"

Vegeta pressed his forehead against hers. They had gotten dangerously close to giving into one another but something always stopped them before it got too far. "More than anything."

"Take me now, cowboy. While we still have a chance."

That damn raspy voice of hers always sent a shiver down his spine. He didn't want their first time together to be in the outdoors but they didn't have many options. He assisted in undressing her first, wanting to unwrap a present he had been dreaming about for so long. All the layers of clothing she had on were no match to a man with a craving for what was underneath. Once she was down to nothing but her black chemise, he stepped back to admire her. Her large breasts that had grown were spilling out the top. Her long blue hair was curled up just special for him. Her red lips were turned up in a coy smile.

God damn, she was gorgeous.

"Like a fucking dream."

Her chest rose as his sinful tone complimented her. Her nipples had to be as hard as his cock was. She sauntered towards him as he dropped his guns to the ground. Bulma began removing his uniform and blushed at his erection. Through the tumultuous times and distance of their relationship, both were guilty of exploring different options. In the end, this is what both of them had been compensating for.

She dropped to her knees and he jolted when her red lips moved up and down on his cock. They had become wet with saliva while her tongue swirled around. Her eyes flickered up to his as she created suction, causing Vegeta to moan and shove more of himself into her.

"Fuck..."

He could feel engulfed in the wet heat of her mouth and it was driving him crazy. Vegeta had planned on taking his time with her but that would have to wait for when he returned. That face and body of hers were too much. Her lips popped when he pulled himself out of her. He raised her up by her chin and forced her back against a tree. She smiled wickedly when he paused to look at her.

"I always loved how strong you are."

"I know you can take it," he purred into her ear. "You're my girl."

Wearing nothing underneath, she hooked one leg around his waist. They both moaned at the sensations they felt when his cock went deep inside of her warmth. He lifted her other leg so now both were wrapped around him. Her nails were digging into his back as she held on. Vegeta pounded his hips into hers, and the noises coming from here were a mixture of pleasure and pain; just the way she liked it. The bark of the tree was cut into her delicate skin but her eyes were rolling back from the satisfaction of the throbbing inside she'd been dying for.

"Vegeta..." she breathed out. His face buried inside her tits, sucking on the skin and nipples to make her cry out. "I love you!"

He was losing the rhythm he was working so hard on maintaining when she told him those three words. Her mouth was covered in a mixture of red and wetness as her breath was becoming uneven. Time slowed as he ejaculated the same moment Bulma dissolved into pleasure. They fell down to the ground together until they were on their bleeding backs panting heavily.

The soldier turned his head to look at her. Both of their faces were shiny from the sweat. He took a minute to gather himself so the words could come out strong and clear like she deserved to hear.

"I love you, Bulma."

_1865_

She had a hard time recognizing him at first when he walked up to her. They were both twenty-twos now, but he looked so much older. There was a permanent smirk on his face, proud of all the men he had killed. He strutted towards her in a confidence at an all-time high. His clothing was darker than anything he had ever worn, but nothing was as dark as his eyes which contained no more light.

Something had changed.

But there was no denying it was her Vegeta.

"No kiss for your cowboy?"

Bulma ran to him and he picked her up to swing her around in circles. She laughed into his neck which smelled of a fancy cologne. As different as he appeared, he had never done this before and she was loving it. She finally kissed him once he put her down and they touched noses while holding onto one another.

"They pay soldiers big money or something?"

"Don't be daft woman," he flashed his teeth and she was momentarily star struck by it. "The Saiyans are now everywhere. The money's going to keep rolling in. You're going back north with me. Kakarot and Bardock are constructing a building just for you. You'll be my queen, taking care of everything and I'll take care of you."

It was a statement and not a question. Being held by him, inhaling him, just him at this moment was enough to convince her he was going to live up to his promise. She sighed before kissing him again.

"Let me just tell my folks."

* * *

Chi-Chi hesitated to enter through a doorway that was already open. She clung to the frame and eyed the wounded Saiyan being tended to by Mrs. Brief. She was spoon-feeding him soup and even going as far as to wipe his mouth for him.

"You know Vegeta," the older woman blotted the corner of his lips and then gave him another helping. "You oughta grow that beard out fully. You'd look even more handsome if you did!"

"That daughter of yours thinks otherwise."

"Oh, phooey on her! We know better, don't we?" she winked and put the empty bowl on the dresser next to the bed. They both looked up when they heard Chi-Chi's knocking.

"Is this a bad time?"

Vegeta's calm demeanor quickly turned sour as he scowled at her. "Would you look at that, it's the female Jesse fucking James gracing us with her presence!"

Mrs. Brief frowned. Although she had no idea what was going on between them, she could feel the tension in the small room. She gathered up the dishes and smiled warmly at Chi-Chi. "He's all yours, dear."

Chi-Chi stared after her for a minute before sighing. She took a step so she was fully inside the wolf's den. "I want to talk to you."

"Shut the door."

The young woman closed them in and walked to the chair where the blonde woman was sitting prior. It was still warm from her body being there for so long. Chi-Chi silently observed the flesh wound near Vegeta's neck. It was covered by bandages that wrapped around from his peck to his shoulder blade. One hole in, one hole out patched up by the doctor's careful hands.

"Why did you want to have a shootout with a blank gun?"

Feeling the aching of his injury, Vegeta threw his head against the background and motioned with a finger at supplies behind Chi-Chi. "I need more morphine."

Chi-Chi looked over her shoulder to see what he was pointing at. Dr. Brief's needles, syringes, and jars of clear liquid. "I'll go get the doctor," she stood up but Vegeta grabbed her wrist before she could get far. He was beginning to sweat from the pain he claimed he was in. "What? I can't administer a needle to you! You need a professional!"

"He's stingy as shit," Vegeta winched as adjusted himself to sit up straighter. "Just bring it to me. I know what to do."

Against her better judgment, Chi-Chi brought him what he desired and watched as he filled the rubber syringe with liquid morphine. He injected the medication into his forearm in a place where he had been poked prior. Once it was all in his blood system, he put the items back on the tray and handed it back to Chi-Chi. When she came back to him, she couldn't help but look at the mark it left.

"How long does it take to kick in?"

"Half hour," he breathed out slowly as he relaxed on the bed. "That's all the time you're getting from me before I forget where I am."

Chi-Chi still couldn't look away from his vein. Vegeta did that all too casually. She recalled one of her daddy's friends had developed an opioid addiction after the war had ended. "Did you serve?"

"Private in the Army of the Chinook. All four years," the Saiyan smirked when he caught her eyes moving up to where she shot him. "Don't be so flattered. You're not the first to get put a bullet through me." Vegeta twisted his back to show her the skin missing from his unbandaged shoulder blade. There was a small but deep pink colored circular scar just under the large bone. Chi-Chi winced at the sight of it. She had never heard of Chinook.

"Before I feel bad for you, what side were you on?"

"What the hell do you think?" Vegeta's eyes narrowed, offended that she'd even question it. "Fuck the South. No human should ever have known slavery. Sickening what those pieces of shit thought they were entitled to. I shot every damn grey coat on sight with no regret."

Chi-Chi took a second to imagine Vegeta in a Union uniform blasting through brush and bristle with a wild grin on his face. Whoever encountered him would be shit out of luck. "How old were you when you joined?"

"Eighteen," Vegeta chuckled darkly while keeping his eye contact with the young woman. "You must have been, what, twelve?"

Her eyebrows furrowed together. His guess was exact and she never remembered telling him her age. "Yeah. I was in school."

"Mmhm," Vegeta smirked at her and his tone was full of judgment. "And your dear old father was living it up in the mansion far away from the battles, right?"

Although he was right, it still pissed her off the way he said it. "You better watch your mouth when you speak about him before I reopen your stitches."

Never again doubting the threats she gave, Vegeta held up a hand on his non-injured arm to calm her down. "Don't get your pantalettes in a bunch. What I meant by that is that the war was a poor man's fight. You never saw the rich out there handling business for the land they were arguing over."

Chi-Chi slumped back in the chair and let out a ragged breath. Her dad was against slavery as well but also wasn't fond of the north. He dreamed of heading west ever since she could develop her first memories. He didn't fight for a place he didn't want to be part of anymore. "What was your dad doing? Handling the Saiyan crimes while you killed soldiers?"

"My father died before the war."

"Oh..." Chi-Chi blinked but didn't apologize. "I didn't realize you were that young when Frieza killed him."

Vegeta shrugged and didn't wince with the morphine slowly beginning to take control. The pain was easing. His gaze was stuck on her the entire time she had entered the room, waiting for her to ask her original question one more time. He knew she could care less about the war or his father. "You better get on with it, girl. I'm about to start hallucinating."

Chi-Chi sighed and leaned forward to the point she was resting her elbows on the bed. While placing her chin on folded hands, she found the strength to look her dad's murderer in the eyes without feeling anything. After her silent ride with Raditz, there was no desire to choke him out. No thoughts in her head telling her to finish the job. There was simply nothing.

"Why'd you let me shoot you?"

"Take your best guess."

The teacher had been taking guesses since she found out he had no bullets. He could have easily killed her if his gun was loaded, being the skilled marksman that he was. Was it his fear of what Kakarot would do, or was he truly appreciative of what she had done for him? Did he know that he'd survive taking a bullet after being shot in the war? What if her aim at his chest wasn't ruined by Kakarot's tackle and he died?

"I can't. It doesn't make a lick of sense."

Vegeta grumbled under his breath but his eyes never strayed. "You're really going to make me say it, girl?"

"Say what?"

The lanterns hanging above lit the room, fighting against the darkness of the night seeping in through the window. While they flickered, Vegeta's jaw clenched and unclenched trying to swallow down his pride. He could blame it on the morphine if she ended up blabbing her mouth. "I... _owed_ it to you," he shuddered and continued quietly. "Look in the pocket of my duster. I wrote down something for you a little after Nappa died. I don't think I need to tell you to not read it aloud."

"...Seriously?"

"I wasn't going to give it to you until the end, but you won't stop pestering me."

For some reason, Chi-Chi could feel her heart beating in her ears. She went to the coat rack to search the jacket that Bulma's mother had sewed and cleaned after the bullet had ruined it. She pulled out the folded piece of paper and undid it.

_Chi-Chi,_

_As I saw Nappa bleeding out on the ground, I understood how you felt the moment you saw your father. I left you without a family. I have lost someone I considered a better father than my own. The torment of witnessing that is unbearable. You must have experienced this same emotion and yet you pulled yourself together. You not only are a survivor but a fighter. Kakarot did the right thing that day when he stopped me from killing you._

_I can't reverse what I have done. I know you won't forgive me. I can only hope you see that I regret putting you through this mental turmoil I am suffering through now. By good rights, you deserve a life better than this after everything you've done for us while coping with this horrendous feeling of loss. I'll exit your life to ensure the happiness you need._

_I respect the hell out of you. You're one tough bitch._

_Burn after reading,_

_Vegeta_

His name became blotchy when a tear from her eye came into contact with it. She held the paper close to her chest and turned around to face the Saiyan. She didn't know what to say. "Damn it."

"What?"

"I ruined the only part that could bring me money at an auction."

"Fuck you," Vegeta did something unexpected and grinned. Chi-Chi raised an eyebrow after wiping the corner of her eyes. His next words came out slurred as his eyelids drooped. "Come give your cowboy a kiss."

Laughing nervously as the drug finally kicked in fully, Chi-Chi looked at him while backing towards the door. Before she could grab the handle, it opened widely. Strong arms caught her from falling backward. She bent her neck back to see Kakarot.

"Hey!" Vegeta pointed a wavering finger at the Saiyan who had just walked in. "Bardock you _motherfucker_! We've been looking all over for you!"


	16. The Inmate of Devil's Pass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The inmate of Devil's Pass tells his story to the sheriff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 16,951 words, y'all. I told you it was going to be a beast. I hope you see how much of my heart I poured into this. <3 This story is so special to me because I was always nervous to share it but thought about it for years. I really, really hope someone enjoys this.
> 
> I do have to put a warning. This chapter is pretty gory , each section besides the one where Bardock meets Gine and when they have Raditz. Please skip through the gore if it's too much. It was a bit hard for me to type. Also excuse any typos as I will continue to work through them. This beast was extremely lengthy and it's hard without a beta. 
> 
> Ahhh enjoy enjoy enjoy.

Way up high in the state known for gold, the prison of Devil's Pass contained one inmate and one sheriff who was long fed up with his days of working overtime. The inmate himself was not one that needed to have an eye kept on. He was quiet and spent his days either reading or doing push-ups. It had been almost a year and a half since his arrival and the sheriff hadn't shared a conversation with him that lasted more than a minute.

The inmate's hanging day was less than a month now, and the sheriff was still curious as to what made him kill the lawman in the south.

Hercule Satan adjusted his pants that were getting looser the more time he spent away from his young bride stressing. He slid a tray of shaving tools and a mirror to the inmate, knowing he wasn't the type to stab him with the blade after having many opportunities to do so. When the inmate was finished, the scar on his face was more prominent without the man bush surrounding it.

"Thanks."

Hercule froze with the tray in his hand. He placed it on his desk and cleared his throat. The inmate hardly spoke a word these days. "No problemo, Bardock. Anything else I can get for ya?"

"Do you have any smokes?"

"Hm. Didn't take you for a smoker but I do," Hercule handed him the stick from out of his pocket and lit it using a match. "Anything else? I needa take my cat nap."

The inmate took a puff before speaking. "I'm ready."

"...For?"

"To tell you my story," Bardock flicked the cigarette toward the ground to rid the falling ashes. "Grab some cards and take a seat. This one's gonna be a while."

* * *

Bardock hated making tortillas, but he loved eating them. There was no way his mama was going to make them without any help, so here he was sitting on the floor mashing the hominy with a pestle. His papa sat snoozing in a chair after a long day of farming and would've smacked him upside the head if he saw the scowl on the nine-year old's face.

His mom smashed the paste he created until it was a thin circle and baked it quickly on a hot stone. She laughed when he tried to do the same, only to have masa sticking all over his fingers.

"You need to roll in a ball, hijo. Not squish."

Bardock rolled his eyes and attempted to make the paste flat again. "Carajo!"

"BARDOCK!" the woman smacked him harshly on the shoulder. "That sort of language has no place in the kitchen! Go outside and make sure the horses are tied up."

The child grumbled and wiped his dirty hands on his jeans as he stood up. His father was still snoozing next to the door as he headed outside. No matter the time of year or day it was, hot air instantly hit his face. He left his home behind to head to the pasture where the horses were resting. As always, they were secure on the wooden fence.

He decided to sit down and rest on the cool desert dirt before going back home. It was still a little traumatic seeing all the soldiers in the town earlier. There was talk that the enemies in the states were going to take control of their country and make it their own. His own father should have been joining the others in defending their land, but he lied about having a limp.

It was embarrassing watching him hobble around with a fake injury.

Bardock glanced up at the bright moon and inhaled the scent of rain. Even when there was no chance of a downfall, this land always smelled like that. He was about to smile when the sound of strange voices caused his heart to begin pounding. They were voices of another language.

The voices of the enemy.

The child jumped to his feet and hid on the other side of the horses. He peeked up to see a group of pale-skinned soldiers entering his house. Not even a second after, gunshots sent Bardock back to the ground. He held his hands over his ears to block out the sound of screams and flying bullets. After what seemed like an eternity, the cruel sounds were replaced by something worse.

Sadistic laughter was getting louder as the men were now walking to the horses.

With his knees and hands getting cut and dirty, Bardock crawled away as fast as he could on all fours. He managed to press his small body behind a tree as the men began to steal the horses. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears and was growing red in the face from holding in his breath for so long. After the soldiers rode away, Bardock gasped for air. He stood up the best he could on wobbly legs and ran to his home.

Breathing shakily, he glanced slowly to the left of him and saw his father with a hole in his forehead. His neck was bent backward, having never awoken from his slumber. Blood trickled down to his ears and onto the floor. Bardock swallowed when he heard a light moaning coming from the kitchen. His mother was crawling towards him with an outstretched hand. She had left a trail of blood as she dragged her body.

"Hijo," she wheezed. "Que dios nos ayude..."

"MAMA!" Bardock screamed when her eyes rolled back and her face hit the floor. He got down and gathered her in his arms, staining his clothes. He closed his eyes when his tears were burning them. "No..."

Through the night and days to come, the young boy sat holding the lifeless body of his mother. Not once did his stomach growl or did he feel the urge to move around. He was frozen to the only place he knew. Flies had begun to swarm into the house, attracted by the odor. Bardock swatted them away when they got close to his mom's face. She was hardly recognizable now. There was foam leaking from her nose and mouth and he finally had to let her go. He was too terrified to look at the man in the chair to see what he had become.

The child realized how dry his mouth had gotten and left his mom behind to search for any glass bottle of water they had. When he reached his hand for one, he noticed how thin his wrist had gotten from lack of nutrition. He removed the cork with trembling fingers and barely took a sip when the door had swung open. Bardock immediately swung the glass in the direction of where the intruder was but had missed the target.

An older man was looking at both of the bodies with a horrified expression before settling his eyes on Bardock. When he saw the child, his upper eyelids drooped. The wrinkles between his eyebrows had deepened and darkened in sadness. He said words that Bardock couldn't understand, and the boy responded by grabbing another glass bottle to throw.

The short man dodged the attack and raised his hands up in front of him to show he was no danger. He said foreign words again, but his voice was calm and patient. He had turned around to leave but came back with another strange man.

"What happened here, child?"

The newcomer spoke Bardock's language. He dropped the third bottle to the floor, and after the crash, he spoke with a quiet voice. "The bad soldiers came and killed them."

The one who understood Bardock frowned and turned to the older, shorter man to speak in that strange language again. The short man took his hat off his head and held it to his chest in a manner of respect. He told his companion something to relay back to the boy.

"Have you got any family? People you trust nearby?"

"No," Bardock sniffed and wiped his nose on the back of his crusty sleeve. "They were all I had."

As the two strangers conversed, Bardock slowly got closer. His nose was detecting a scent somehow stronger than the decomposing bodies. There was something inside of the older man's bag.

"Young man?"

Bardock glanced up at the two although his nostrils were working in overdrive. "What?"

"Would you like to accompany us? Gohan believes he knows a place that can take good care of you," the man smiled as Gohan removed the fresh bread from his bag to give the boy after noticing he was eyeing it. "He's a very, very kind soul. What say you, child?"

Bardock hesitated to take the bread from Gohan, but his now growling stomach was convincing him. He snatched it and began eating it until there wasn't a single crumb left. The older man quickly took another loaf out and gave it to him. He was whispering something to his partner again as Bardock ate the other bread in the same fashion.

"What's your name?"

"Bardock," he spoke with a full mouth. "You?"

"Tortuga," the man chuckled when the child arched an eyebrow. "Yes, like the animal. Gohan insists you come after seeing how starved you are. He also wants to help you bury your folks before we leave so that their souls may be at rest."

Bardock looked at the older man, who was nodding his head politely. There was a kindness about him that his own father sorely lacked. Unsure if it was his hunger or desperation that influenced his answer, Bardock nodded in return. Gohan and Tortuga set to work digging holes using tools in their wagon and finished before sunset. They worked together to bring what remained of the bodies and buried them underground. After prayers and goodbyes, the three were off on the trail.

The youngest one listened to the two men discuss matters in their own language for the majority of the trip. He took this time to study them carefully, unsure if he could trust them but knowing he didn't have many options. Tortuga had the same bronze skin tone as Bardock did, but lacked the wild black spikes for hair. The man had none at all and wasn't ashamed in hiding it. Tortuga was much younger than Gohan, who appeared to be in his late forties to early fifties. He was paler than a moon. It was the most peculiar thing to see them traveling with one another.

"Que haces con este gabacho?"

Tortuga busted up laughing while Gohan scrunched his eyebrows at the two. He responded to Bardock in the language only he and the child understood. "Gohan's more than that. He's traveling to find any survivors of the annexation. He's already rescued ten children and a few women this past week."

"Where does he take them?"

"There are shelters near his town. He brings me along for translation, as you can tell. Many of our kind would freak out seeing him if I weren't around."

Bardock shifted his gaze to the older man on the other side of him. He had a permanent smile on his face, reminding him of a sweet grandpa. Perhaps he wasn't like the others. "Is that where you guys are taking me?"

"Yes. You're going to be just fine."

The child relaxed into the seat of the wagon as they continued to travel to where these shelters were. He didn't feel anything at the moment besides exhaustion, and soon his heavy eyelids got the best of him. He fell asleep, slumped against Gohan's shoulder. It wasn't until Tortuga began shaking his shoulder that he awoke. The wagon had come to a stop in front of a wooden structure. There was a word written on it that Bardock couldn't identify no matter how hard he squinted at it. They weren't far from home, but his language was already being replaced.

"We're going to go check with the owner to see if they have room. We allot upon returning shortly."

Bardock nodded and waited alone in the wagon for a much longer time than he had anticipated. All the while his heart was pounding again and his hands were clammy. Thoughts of how this place would treat him or how life would be on his own made him sick to his stomach. When the double doors of the shelter swung open to reveal Tortuga and Gohan with frowns on their faces. They were speaking to one another before getting back into the wagon, sandwiching Bardock in-between them.

"Sorry, hijo. Looks like they're stuffed to the gut in there with refugees. You'll have to stay with Gohan until there's space."

The child gulped. There was nothing particularly scary about the old man, but the language barrier was an issue for both of them. "Will you be there?"

"I have to get back to my own family," Tortuga smiled sadly and ruffled the pouting child's already messy hair. "It'll be quite fine. I wrote down important phrases and words for him. Just have patience."

Tortuga was right, it wouldn't be for long. Bardock sighed and looked ahead as they left the shelter for Gohan's home. The small wooden shack was even tinier than Bardock's house, but it was surrounded by a variety of crops. It wasn't a farm, but a lively garden. After getting out of the wagon, Bardock got down on his knees to observe a tall tomato plant. The shiny red fruit was large with juice and bigger than any he had ever seen.

"Te gusta?"

Bardock looked up to see Gohan grinning at him with his hands on his hips. The old man was proud of himself for learning a new phrase. The child was so interested in the plant that he didn't hear Tortuga leaving on his horse. "Cómo crecieron tanto tus plantas?"

The old man blinked, not understanding him. "Oh!" he raised a finger in the air as he saw Bardock gesturing to the size of one of the tomatoes. "How did it get big?"

"Big," Bardock repeated to him and then looked at one of the green tomatoes that still needed time to ripen. He meant to just turn it over but ended up pulling it off the flower. He winced as the unfinished tomato rolled to Gohan's feet. Trembling, Bardock stood up and faced his back to the old gardener. He lifted up his dirty shirt and prepared for the beating he'd surely receive for what he had done. He waited and waited for the whipping of a belt and screams.

Instead, he heard a gasp and gentle touching of the marks on his skin.

"Oh you poor child..."

Bardock turned around to see Gohan had tears in his eyes as he mumbled something quietly. The boy blinked his own after feeling them get misty. Why was he not angry? "No estas enojado?"

"Who did this to you? The soldiers?" Gohan racked his brains when he knew the child didn't understand. "Oh, what's that word you called me... gabachos? Was it the gabachos?"

"No," Bardock sniffed. He didn't want to cry in front of him. "Papa."

Gohan's eyes filled with pain as he pulled the child into an embrace. Bardock didn't know what to do, but anything was better than being lashed. He returned the hug and couldn't deny that it made him feel safer than he ever had been.

* * *

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Hercule held his hands in front of his face and dropped his cards when doing so. "I would've never guessed you was from south of the border! What happened to your accent!? You don't seem like you're from there at all!"

Bardock eyed the sheriff while chewing on his cigarette. As genuine of a good guy Satan was, he was just as ignorant. "You expect me to be in a fucking sombrero?"

"Uh, no. I suppose not..." Hercule blushed and scratched the back of his afro. "It's just you speak so well. Did they teach you that when you went to the shelter?"

The inmate leaned back so he wouldn't blow smoke so close to the sheriff's face. His lips twitched slightly upward when childhood memories rolled through his head. "I never went to the shelter. Gohan decided I was better off with him. We helped each other learn a lot. He sent me to school and that's where I picked up the rest."

Hercule picked up the deck of cards and began to shuffle them. He secretly wondered why the inmate's skin hadn't lost its tan despite being locked in the prison for a year and a half. However, the scrawny, terrified child he described in his story wasn't anything like the brawny, confident man through the wooden bars. There had to be a turning point in his life that made him choose a life of crime when he had a loving relationship with this Gohan person. Wanting to get deep into the outlaw's psyche, the sheriff began handing him his cards for a round of blackjack.

"I'd love to hear more about your schooling if you'd have me."

"Not like I'm going anywhere," Bardock smirked and removed his cigarette. He crushed it into the ashtray and then noticed Hercule was giving him too many cards for a game of blackjack. "Hold your horses, Satan. What the hell is this? It's only two cards."

Hercule reddened once more. He wasn't a card shark like the Saiyan. "Oh... If we're tellin' truths in here, mister, I ain't played no blackjack in my life."

"Puta madre!"

"Huh?"

"It's a blackjack term," Bardock reached his hands through the bars. "Give me the damn cards. I'll be the dealer."

* * *

The lying viejo told him that the other children would be wearing a bolo tie just like his. Bardock ripped it off his neck when he noticed absolutely none of the students playing outside had one on. He shoved the gift deep inside his pocket and mosey on over the cobblestone walkway that led to the red schoolhouse. The children playing with marbles in the grass paused to glare at him.

Gohan also told him that they might judge him by his looks.

Sticking his chest up high and ignoring the name-calling, Bardock entered the small building. Desks were lined up in rows facing a desk where a fair-haired woman sat. Sensing someone was staring at her, she looked up and smiled warmly at her newest student.

"Howdy, friend. You must be Bardock," she got up and smooth her dress down. The color of it was dark and cool, the complete opposite of how she presented herself. "I'm Mrs. Note. Gohan told me quite a bit about you."

Bardock understood most of what she said and waved to her. It took a while to get a question out because his brain was working hard to translate the words. "Where can I sit down?"

"Anywhere you like," Mrs. Note never lost her smile. Bardock liked her already. "The older children tend to sit in the back. It's up to you."

Once he had chosen the desk near the woodstove, the teacher rang her bell. The rest of the students came in moaning and groaning that she had ended their playtime so soon. Bardock could still feel the heat of their gaze even when he looked straight ahead. He wished that Gohan didn't have him wear a red shirt to stand out more than he already did.

As they whispered more derogatory names, Bardock clenched his fist and did his best to focus on what Mrs. Note was saying. She was writing letters on the chalkboard that she wanted them to practice. His lip was twitching as the red-headed boy behind him was throwing spit wads at the back of his neck.

"You don't belong here. Go back to your own country!"

"Hey fuck you Marker!" a voice came from the desk next to him. "This _is_ his country, moron."

Mrs. Note slapped a ruler harshly on the wrist of the boy who stood up for Bardock. "You better watch that mouth of yours, Tora, before I have your mother clean it out with soap again!"

"Sorry Teacher," he apologized with a frown but mocked her under his breath when she walked away. Tora looked at Bardock and winked. "That shirt color is the bee's knees. You like red?"

Bardock shrugged, but he was smiling at the other boy. He thought all these children would be like that little Marker cabron. Mrs. Note coughed to get their attention as she wrote down more of what she wanted them to copy. After a few hours of straining his wrist, it was time to go home. Bardock waited until everyone had left before he decided to stand up.

"Can you come here right quick, Bardock?"

The child sighed but did as he was told. "Yes ma'am?"

Mrs. Note removed her glasses to reveal a much younger face than what he had assumed. She pinched the bridge of her nose and then looked at him with tired eyes. "Don't let them get to you. Most of their fathers fought at the Monument. I think it's just sickening what happened to your people," she smiled sadly when he said nothing at all. "Here. I have something to get your mind off of everything."

She handed him a book and he squinted at the title. "I can speak but I can't read or write English. What's it called?"

Turning red at jumping the gun, she folded her hands in front of her as if asking for forgiveness. "Oh! Of course! Well, how about we make that a goal of yours? To be able to read it on your own one day?"

He made a face at the size of it. "Is it worth reading?"

"I like to think so. It's called _Oliver Twist_ , and it's about an orphan who-"

They blinked at one another, realizing now how fucked up it was to give Bardock the book. She reached her hand out to get it back, but Bardock shrugged and held it to his chest.

"If you say it's good, I'll keep it."

Mrs. Note breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to walk him to the door. "I hope you have a safe walk home, Bardock. Watch out for coyotes!"

Unsure if whether she was kidding or not, the boy looked over his shoulder to see his teacher but she had already closed the door of the schoolhouse. The only student left outside was Tora, who had been waiting for him with a grin on his face.

"Hey, B! Mind if I walk with ya?"

"Okay," Bardock figured he didn't have much of a choice. They started walking in the direction of where the town was. He hadn't the faintest clue where Tora was from or where he was headed. The town was small and he'd never seen hide or tail of him before. "You stay in Goldenbranch?"

"All my life."

"I ain't never seen you before."

"Folks are strict," Tora laughed but it was nervous. "They don't let me get out much. I swear once I'm grown up I'm leaving faster than a jackrabbit on the summer soil."

They were about two miles away from the schoolhouse now and wandering through the desert. Everything had been the same as it was since he was born, but this place did not belong to him anymore. "This is so strange."

"What is?"

"How land can just be stolen," Bardock furrowed his brows when the sun hit his face at the wrong angle. "It doesn't make sense."

Tora took a bandana from out of his back pocket and patted it against the back of his neck that was getting sweaty. He always dreaded the walk home when it was this hot. "Not much does these days. I got your back against those bastards, though. I hate how they talk."

"You hate how who talks?"

Bardock and Tora froze. A gang of boys from the schoolhouse emerged from behind a large saguaro. Marker had a sharp knife in his hand and was the leader of the pack, taking a step forward from the others.

"The guys and I decided that we ain't want your kind stinking up the classroom no more."

Despite their best efforts to fight back, the two largest boys had Bardock's and Tora's hands behind their backs forcibly. As Tora was being punched in the gut repeatedly by another, Marker was approaching Bardock with the knife with a malicious grin. The blade made a deep incision on his left cheek. He let forth a cry of pain as Marker designed an 'X', ripping his skin apart. Blood dripped from his face down to the new boots Gohan had got him especially for school.

His breathing was becoming unsteady as the throbbing of his fresh wound increased. The damp blade was placed underneath his chin and use to lift it up so he was made to look the crazy teen in the eyes.

"See how easy that was?" Marker laughed cruelly while Bardock could hear Tora airing his lungs from the beating he was receiving. "I heard all the tales about you. Turns out they weren't fibbin'. You're a pussy. No wonder you couldn't save your folks."

Everything about the teen's face had turned a switch for him. The cold eyes, the flared nostrils, the hate-filled laugh. It reminded him all too much of the way his father looked when the beatings took place. There was always one thing he wishes he could've done differently. This poor motherfucker was going to feel it all.

Whether it was an adrenaline rush or anger built up over the years, Bardock broke free and tackled Marker to the ground. The red-head dropped the knife as he went down, losing his only means of defense. His cronies were too stunned by the sight of seeing him getting his face beaten in to do anything about it. Bardock's knees were crushing his chest as his fist connected with bloodied flesh. Tora took the opportunity of the gang's distraction to retrieve the knife and shanked the air in their direction to get them to back away.

Each contact with Marker's face felt euphoric. Bardock was imagining different people as he did it. He struck the teen until he was out of breath. By the end, Marker's face was unrecognizable. He lay wheezing on the ground as Bardock stood up. He gave him a strong kick to the ribs, sending him towards his cowardly friends. All the boys could hear shouts of concern coming towards them. Tora grabbed Bardock's arm and took him in the opposite direction. They kept on running until the voices were all behind them. They stopped to hold onto their knees and catch their breath.

"Holy shit," Tora coughed and stood up straight. "Where the hell did that come from? You almost killed him!"

"Pinche rojo deserved it."

Tora chuckled but stopped when it hurt. He then looked at the cut on Bardock's face and nearly gagged at the vision of the skin that was cut hanging loosely to reveal the innards of his cheek. "Fuck! We gotta get you help!"

There was only one person he trusted not to judge him, but it was also the one person he didn't want to disappoint. They headed to Bardock's and Gohan's home, where the old man was watering his turnips. Gohan lost his grin immediately after seeing Bardock's injury.

"What did you get yourself into now, son!?"

"Nevermind viejito," Bardock winced at the pain as Gohan was finally close enough to see what had happened. "Can you fix it?"

Gohan dropped his watering can and rushed the boys inside. Tora waited at the table while Bardock was tended to on a chair. The old man was muttering prays of forgiveness for whatever the boy had done as he pressed a wet cloth against the wound.

"I don't know what you're smiling for! You're going to have quite the hideous scar!"

"At least I won."

Gohan groaned and continued to blot the area. The boy was clearly unbothered he had mutilated his face. "You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days. Turn your head for me."

As he did so, Bardock settled his eyes on a grainy framed photo of a woman. It was Gohan's wife that had died from consumption long before Bardock was even born. "What was her name again?"

Gohan found his grin again and looked over his shoulder at his favorite picture. He couldn't believe it when the machine snapped it. The camera was the best invention there ever was. "Darling."

Bardock rolled his eyes. "That's not a real name."

"She had a real name, but to me she was Darling. I hope one day you're lucky enough to find your darling."

The boy scoffed. He was always convinced that girls were the devil. "Yeah, that'll be the day."

* * *

"Shit!"

"Why the fuck would you say 'hit me' with twenty?"

"I don't know!" Hercule threw a poker chip at the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. "I hate this game. Let's play Go Fish."

Bardock rolled his eyes while gathering the cards to shuffle yet again. As he did so, Hercule took another look at his scar. He always wondered how he had gotten it and now had the answer.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with that. People bullied me for my hair."

"Have you seen it?"

"Shut your big bazoo."

* * *

"Will you give it a break, bookworm? We're almost there."

Bardock held up a finger as he read the last page of the book Mrs. Note gave him years ago. "Hell yeah," he breathed out and closed it. He looked at Tora who was rolling his eyes. "The characters all got their just desserts."

Seven years later, and he had finally met his goal of reading an entire novel in English. At eighteen years old, he had grown into his body well. The days spent doing the heavy lifting for Gohan paid off. He was no longer that emaciated child that let people walk all over him. He was now strong, tall, and fearless.

And he could read!

"Did you catch the name of the place we were headed?"

"Silver Dollar?" Bardock shrugged. "Nothing special about that."

"Nah," Tora chuckled. "You didn't say the full name. Silver Dollar Saloon. You know what's at saloons, right?"

"Whiskey?"

"Whores," the friend was practically salivating. While Bardock had dreams of reading at eighteen, Tora had other plans in mind. "Dozens of 'em. I was gonna lay with one once we drop off the turnips."

Whatever connection prostitutes and turnips had with one another, Bardock didn't want to know. As nice as it would be to have something other than his hand to pleasure him, he was turned off by the idea of sticking his dick where plenty had been before. "Have fun with that."

"Oh, trust me. I will."

As they entered the town of Angel's Downs, Silver Dollar Saloon was clearly the main attraction. The hand-painted sign hanging proudly on the balcony was the largest one there. Two women in corsets were blowing kisses to the young men as they came out of the turnip-filled wagon. Tora was catching them and sending some back, while Bardock got to work removing the crates of turnips from the back.

Unable to contain himself any longer when he saw the breasts of the brunette girl practically spilling out of her top, Tora bit his lip and pointed upward. "Mind if I...?"

"Yeah," Bardock patted his back. "You're useless, anyway."

Tora clicked his heels together and ran inside to find the woman he wanted. Bardock shook his head and lifted a crate up with a single arm. Holding the heavy supply up to his head with ease, he went into the saloon. Clearly, the morning wasn't their most active time. A few men hungover from a bender were drooling on the bar top while others were being served breakfast.

"Turnip delivery!" he shouted. "Where does it go?"

"Right this way, cowboy."

That voice...

Bardock turned around and saw the angel it belonged to. She didn't have on an outfit like the soiled doves and wore a long red apron over a modest dress instead. A butcher knife was resting inside the large pocket. On top of her head was a small white chef's hat that didn't prevent her face from being covered. She stood there, blinking her large round eyes at him.

"You just going to stand there acock or follow me?"

Bardock cleared his throat and went towards the woman. He followed her into the small kitchen where she made food for the guests. She pointed at a corner where there were empty crates that he would need to take back and fill up again. She kept her eyes on him through each trip he made and he couldn't help but give her the once-over a few times. He could tell she was a few years older, but not by much.

He dropped the last crate and wiped the sweat off his forehead with his rolled-up sleeve. "That's all. Anything else I can do for you?"

She was eyeing his exposed forearm, noting the veins. She found herself blushing at the thought running through her mind and shook her head. "No, that'll be just dandy. Thank you, mister...?"

"Bardock."

"Bardock," she smiled sweetly and struck out her hand for him to shake. "Nice to meet you. I'm Gine. I hear your turnips are the best around."

He smirked like it was no big deal to receive a compliment from someone so beautiful. It was rare to find one of the cooks in a place of business be a female but clearly, she knew what she was doing. "My gramps is the one that grows them. I just deliver."

"Well," her smile grew and she gently touched his chest as she moved past him to get money from the safe. "Give my sincere regard to your grandpa."

Bardock took the money from her hand without taking his eyes off her own. "Thank you, ma'am," he tipped his hat and put the paper inside his pocket. "I sure hope to continue doing business with you."

"Would you like me to make you some breakfast!?" she blurted out a little too hastily, and Bardock loved the way her face turned pink. "I mean, it's the least I can do for your travels."

It was only an hour away from home, but Bardock wasn't the one to turn down a meal. "I reckon there's nothing wrong with that. Do I take any seat in particular?"

"Whatever your heart desires."

He had to break contact with her lustful eyes before he'd end up not being able to move from stiffness. He waved from over his shoulder and went back into the dining hall. It was so quiet in the saloon that Bardock could hear the faint sound of Tora fucking the prostitute upstairs. He shuddered and poured some coffee into his mug before sitting down. Shortly after, the pretty cook put a plate of pancakes, sausage, and eggs. He took one whiff and began devouring it while she stood there laughing nervously.

"Enjoying it, sir?"

"Yes ma'am!"

Gine took a seat across from him and stole his coffee. She took a few sips while watching him eat. "How old are you, Bardock?"

He swallowed the last of his pancakes before speaking, wanting to show some politeness. "Eighteen."

"Eighteen?" she gasped. The face definitely looked young, but that body didn't. She had never been attracted to anyone younger than her before. "I wouldn't have guessed that at all."

"I take that as a compliment. How old are you?"

"Twenty," she slid his coffee back to him seeing that he needed some liquid. "But I feel a lot older sometimes. It's a lot of work cooking for hundreds of men a week."

"Shit, after tasting your food I see why you're in such high demand!" Bardock rubbed his belly. Gine shook her head. She could see how toned he was through his shirt and had a hard time believing he could ever be bloated.

"Aren't you mighty kind. Did your grandpa teach you those manners?"

"Yes ma'am. He's as much of a gentleman as he is a gardener. I could bring you by our house sometime if you ever wanted to thank him for the vegetables."

Gine arched a thin brow but then relaxed her features knowing he most likely was just being sweet. "I'll take you up on that offer _after_ I've tried his vegetables. Sound fair?"

Bardock liked the company of Silver Dollar Saloon's cook so much that he continued to return to her even when there was nothing to exchange. Tora would get his quick bedroom rodeo on with a different gal each time, and Bardock would grow closer to Gine. When months had gone by and the only vegetable doing well in the winter were jalapenos, Bardock was sure to bring the crate to her no matter how cold the winds got. On one particular December day, Bardock arrived to her early in the morning as he possibly could.

She rushed him in seeing his teeth were chattering, ignoring her advice to wear extra layers today. The saloon was nice and warm from the fire, and the kitchen was even better. He put the jalapenos in his usual vegetable corner and took his gloves off to breathe hot air on his bare hands. Gine was laughing at him while rubbing his back.

"Not good with the cold, huh?"

"No. Thank God we don't get snow in the desert."

"At least not in this one," she frowned when she noticed a sparkle on his jacket. "But you did get some frostbite. You should take off your jacket before you get sick."

Bardock did and threw it haphazardly on the floor. He looked down to see his shirt was freezing too. He unbuttoned it while Gine had her back turned to tend to the breakfast she would need to serve soon. When she turned around, she dropped her knife at the sight of Bardock's body. His exposed pectorals were perfectly shaped, and his chiseled abs were even more noticeable when he flexed out of habit from the coldness he felt.

"How can you be real?" she muttered and placed both of her small hands on his chest. They weren't big enough to cover anything. "You're too young to be looking like this."

He blushed as her hands explored his upper body. The last few months he had gotten to know her, she had never been this close before. "I've had a hard life," he spoke quietly back. Her eyes flickered up to his eyes then drifted to the x-shaped scar on the left side of his face.

"I always wanted to kiss you there."

"Nobody's stopping you."

"It won't hurt?"

"No," Bardock's hands found their way to her hips and he pulled her in. The warmth of her made him forget all about the cold temperatures he had just gone through to be here. "Not anymore."

She got up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his scar. He held her tightly as she did, his arms moving up to the middle of her back to squeeze her in the best bear hug he could possibly give. She giggled as he lifted her up and spun her around. "You're so strong!"

"I have something to ask you."

She held onto his hands when he put her back on the ground. The seriousness in his voice made her a little uneasy. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Bardock released one hand to pull a small box out of his pocket. He opened it to reveal a golden ring with a diamond-encrusted white pearl. Gine removed herself completely from him to cover her mouth with her hands. He dropped down on one knee like Gohan had told him to and held the ring out to her. "I want you to be my darling."

With tears in her eyes, Gine was afraid to speak because her mouth didn't always know what to say. It was a good thing her heart did. "Yes!"

"Yes?" Bardock grinned from ear to ear, a little stunned but mostly happy. "Yes!?"

"Yes!" Gine laughed and sniffed to keep her nose from running. Bardock jumped to his feet and backed her all the way up into the wall through a kiss full of everything he'd been feeling for her. The kiss was needy, both wanting this since they first met. He stopped himself from continuing it when a question crossed his mind.

"You know I'm asking you to marry me, right?"

"Sake's alive! Of course!" Through her burning cheeks from the smooching, she smacked his bare chest. He caught her hand and kept it there so she could feel his heart beating.

"You're the only person that does this to me, darling."

The corners of Gine's eyes crinkled from how big she was smiling after being called a nickname she'd hear the rest of her life. She pulled his head down so she could whisper in his ear. "Let's go to my room."

The suggestion sent shivers down his spine. He picked up his cold jacket and put it over his exposed chest before she led the way out of the kitchen. They ignored the few stares they were receiving while heading up the stairs. Bardock always hated that she lived in the saloon since she deserved so much more. As soon as he could, he was going to make her a house bigger than she could ever dream.

When they entered and Gine closed the door behind them, he was surprised to turn around and see her undressing already. In the heat of the moment, she still hadn't put the ring on. He removed the precious jewel from the box and took her busy hand. His eyes lit up when it fit perfectly. Many years ago, Gohan bought this ring for his wife and told Bardock it would end up being the right fit.

"It's beautiful," Gine whispered while turning her hand around in circles. The sunshine seeping in made it sparkle. She sighed happily and sat at the edge of the bed with her boots off. Bardock joined her and draped an arm over her shoulder. "I apologize for being caught up in the moment. Have you ever been with a woman before?"

"No," he wasn't ashamed to admit it. He wanted his first time to be with someone special and he knew he had found her. "You don't need to tell me, either. That's all in the past." Whoever she was or wasn't with didn't matter anymore. He knew Gine wasn't a painted lady and didn't sleep around wildly. Even if she was, at this point he felt so strongly for her that he would accept her for whoever she used to be.

She got up and continued to remove the layers that made her dress fit snug to her skin. Not wanting to ruin the surprise, Bardock turned around and began removing his clothing. He blushed when he heard her whistling at his backside.

"You really _are_ like a sculpture!"

"Mind if I turn around now?"

"Be my guest."

He took a deep breath before taking a look at his betrothed. His naked betrothed. For the second time in his life, he felt a switch turn on. All he wanted to do was wear her out until she cried his name. Knowing she was going to be all his was doing things to him and he knew she noticed. One of her hands went up to her mouth in shock at the animalistic hunger taking over his expression.

Not having enough time to enjoy kissing her, Bardock grabbed her face with both of his strong calloused hands and crushed his lips against hers. Her moan allowed an opening for him to suck on her tongue. The lack of air he was giving her was making Gine grow dizzy in his grasp. Her hands roamed all over his bareback and he groaned at the sensation of her massaging his shoulder blades.

She inhaled sharply when his lips left her mouth to give attention to her neck. His hands were now squeezing her butt tightly. "Bardock," she whimpered in a needy way. The mention of his name caused him to bite down on the fragile skin. "I want to show you something."

He brought his face up and touched their foreheads together. "Lead the way, darling."

Gine backed him up towards the bed and straddled herself on. He instantly felt the heat of her slit when he went inside of her. His nails dug into her thighs and he muttered into her chest. "Fuck..."

His gaze shifted upward to her eyes as she lifting her hips up and down slowly. She was watching his cock disappear in and out of his body while he was looking at something else.

"Unos ojos preciosos."

Her head snapped up when he spoke a different language. One of his hands that was on her hip went up to caress the side of her face. "What did you say?" she found herself whispering while keeping a steady pace.

"Beautiful eyes. I'm sorry," he rubbed her face with his thumb. "It comes out sometimes."

"Say it again."

His eyes widened at her demanding tone. She was hovering on the tip, waiting for him to repeat himself. When he did, she pushed him down so his back was on the bed. She was supporting herself with her knees and picked up speed, causing him to start growling unknown words that sounded like music to her ears. They came at the same time and Gine fell breathlessly to his side.

Bardock stared up the ceiling in silence, completely satisfied knowing he'd always have her. He moved his arm so she could adjust herself closer to him. She rested her head on his chest and sighed.

"Can you say your vows in that language? It's so," she had to take a minute to catch her breath. She could feel her eyelids growing heavy and knew she'd be in big trouble for not having breakfast ready. "Lovely. I'm going to lose my job."

"Don't worry your pretty little head, darling. I'm going to take care of you from now on."

* * *

Hercule raised an eyebrow as Bardock smiled coyly. "You just gonna be a jerk and keep the sweet details to yourself!? That ain't right!"

The inmate's eyes went to the gold band on the sheriff's finger. "Do you go around telling everyone your relations with your wife?"

"No..." Satan felt ashamed while glancing down at his ring. He had married his wife prior to Bardock's arrival to Devil's Pass. "You know, all my friends called me crazy for wanting to settle down so young but I ain't listen. I love that girl more than life itself."

Bardock smiled small. The sheriff had to be around the age of Kakarot, making him one of the youngest to ever be appointed at the prison. "The good book even says love endures all. Marriage was a blessing for me. Are you planning on starting a family?"

"Yeah!" Hercule beamed proudly. "I'm just waiting for the pressure for your hanging to die down. It's hard to get a certain way when there's so much stress. Uh, no offense."

"Good for you," Bardock shuffled the deck to get started for another round. From the moment he arrived, Satan was always heckled and feathered for allowing the prisoner to stay alive for so long. The execution day was only a month away now. "The only thing better than being a husband is being a father. I remember the day my first was born like it was only yesterday."

* * *

After many grueling hours and two midwives later, Gine was holding their precious baby boy in her arms. He had been cleaned up and wrapped in the softest blanket they could find. Bardock stood in the doorway of the bedroom and observed the sight of his wife and son. He had never seen something so beautiful in his life. His chest swelled with pride.

Gohan stood beside him and chuckled quietly. "I think he's got her hair. Poor thing has your face."

Bardock pushed him gently and entered the room. Gine was sweaty, exhausted, and frazzled but had never looked so gorgeous as she did holding their son in her arms. The baby was born with the longest hair that anyone had ever seen a newborn have. His tiny eyes were closed as he rested against his mama. The father knelt down and gave her a kiss on the forehead while observing the sleeping infant.

"Did you come up with a name yet?"

"Raditz."

"Raditz?"

"I think it would be cute if we named our children after vegetables," she giggled. "They're what brought us together, after all."

As ridiculous as it was, Raditz sounded like a decent name. Besides, he had already spoiled Gine so much that she already knew she'd get what she wanted. "That'd be a mighty fine name," Bardock ran a single finger gently down the baby's long hair. "My son Raditz."

Bardock was just shy of nineteen when he became a dad but felt like this was his life's purpose. Gine raised Raditz up for Bardock to hold, and he took the baby gently. As soon as he was cradling him, Raditz opened his eyes slowly. The young fathered thought that time itself had frozen as their pupils made contact. There was no denying Raditz's face resembled his own, while his skin tone and hair were all Gine.

"Hi, there little cowboy," Bardock rocked him gently. All he wanted to do was protect him from the cruel world and never let him go. He whistled for Gohan. "Come here, viejito. He's kicking."

Gohan gasped seeing the baby's eyes open and reached his hands out to take him. Bardock glanced at Gine for approval, but she was knocked out. He chuckled and handed Raditz over slowly.

"You can hold him, just don't drop him on his head."

"Why would I ever do a thing like that?" Gohan gently poked the child's nose and the men laughed when Raditz cooed at the touch. "Oh, son... I can't believe you're a papa now. It's the greatest feeling in the entire world."

Bardock crossed his arms over his chest while Gohan babbled at Raditz. Gohan said Darling had twins that were born in the winter then died in the spring. He felt a lump in his throat realizing that the old man was referring to him. After Raditz fell asleep again and Gohan put him in the handmade crib, Bardock surprised by hugging him from behind.

"Thank you for everything."

Gohan turned around and grabbed Bardock by the shoulders. He still remembered what he looked like without the scar, shriveled up in the corner of his shed. "You'll be the bettermost father there ever was, kid. You're already a heck of a man."

Bardock knew he was right. He had experienced having both a really awful father and a wonderful one to understand how to raise his son. A few years had come and gone by and Bardock still put his belief into practice. He never beat his son over simple accidents or anything for that matter. He was careful to raise his voice and only shouted if it was an emergency situation like when he played too close to the donkeys.

Once he was sure the child had gotten it through his thick skull, Bardock laid down on his back and chewed on a piece of grass while looking up at the cloudless sky. He could hear Raditz panting as he approached, now more curious about what his father was doing. Bardock closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep as Raditz poked and prodded him. When the child was least expecting it, Bardock sat up with his hands in the formation of bear claws.

"RAWR!"

"Eeeeee!" Raditz released a combination of a scream and laugh. "It's Papa Bear!"

The young father always thought it was hilarious that Raditz never even tried to avoid the attack. He pulled him down into his lap and started tickling him. After a series of kisses to his chubby cheeks, Bardock held onto Raditz tightly. They looked at the vegetable garden that had fully grown tomatoes again.

"I'm really going to miss this place."

Raditz pouted and snuggled close to his father's chest. "Why we have to go?"

"We don't _have_ to," Bardock rested his chin on top of his son's head. "But your mama is going to have your little brother or sister soon. Grandpa's house is too small."

"Can't we make it bigger?" Raditz asked seriously and turned his body to look at his dad. He exploded his arms in a circle that was as wide as his eyes. "You're strong, Papa! You can do it!"

Bardock laughed. He loved this boy so much. "You'll understand one day when you're a man. I'm married and almost have two kids. It's time for me to fly the coop."

Not really interested in the conversation anymore after seeing a feather fall from the tree top, Raditz squeezed his dad's neck and left him on the grass. As he admired the innocence and joy over the simple things, Gohan was calling out Bardock's name. The father glanced over his shoulder to see the old man walking towards him with a box. Bardock got to his feet and met him halfway.

"What's this? New boots?"

"No, something even more useful. For your trip tomorrow."

Suspicious and curious all at once, Bardock lifted up the lid slowly to find a gun inside. He looked between the weapon and Gohan multiple times to make sure he was serious about it. "Where'd you get this?"

"I bought it just for you! They call it a big iron."

No wonder, it was heavy as all get out. Bardock had a holster on his belt that was just for show. "I never used a gun in my life. How do I use it?"

"Beats me!" Gohan laughed at the young man's facial expression of annoyance. "Ah, you're a smart cookie. You'll figure it out with practice and patience."

Bardock took a deep breath and put the big iron in his holster. There was so much he wanted to say to the old man, but it was hard for him to find the right words. He literally owed his life to Gohan and his kindness. He traveled further out west with him a few months ago to purchase a small lot of land that would provide the right ground for growing crops while Tora kept an eye on his pregnant wife and Raditz. They knew where to send letters to contact, and for visits, the travel wasn't too awful.

But the act of saying goodbye was going to be far too painful.

So they agreed upon not saying it.

"Grampy! Grampy!" Raditz was bouncing up and down on his toes. "Be a horsey!"

Gohan opened his mouth to speak, but Bardock interrupted him. "Gramps is too old to be a horse."

"Nonsense!" the old man chuckled and got down on all fours. Bardock slapped himself in the forehead when he could hear bones cracking. "Agh. Alright, scamp. I'm ready!"

Raditz hopped onto his back and pretended to lasso his father as Gohan began crawling. "I'mma get you, Papa!"

Bardock stifled his laughter while watching Gohan move. "I think your pony's on its last leg, kid. It's slower than a slug."

Gohan froze and used his hand to pull back on the grass, now pretending to be a bull. Bardock now erupted in laughter so loud that it got his wife's attention. She was standing by the door observing the old man crawling as fast he could towards her husband. Raditz jumped off just in time and started kicking his father's shins. Bardock pretended to be injured and fell to the grass as both the grandpa and the child started kicking his sides.

"What are you fellas doing!?" Gine called and all three heads turned to her. "Lunch has been ready for thirty minutes!"

"Yay! Lunch!" Raditz cheered and left the men in the dust. Gohan offered Bardock his hand and lifted him up.

"You know what I'll miss more than these shenanigans?"

Bardock already knew. Gine's cooking was the best in all the west.

* * *

"You really love your children, don't you?"

"They're my world."

Hercule smiled at the thought of a man actually enjoying his wife and children. Everyone, he was close with the thought he was a weirdo for feeling the same way Bardock does. "Did you keep seeing Gohan once you got settled?"

"We saw him a few times and exchanged letters back and forth, but he had a problem to take care of further down south from where I was born. I was hoping to see him again before this but I won't have that chance."

The young man fiddled with a single card in his hand, feeling sorry for the inmate. He really didn't seem like he belonged here unless you considered the crime. "And I guess you figured out how to shoot a gun since you offed that sheriff," he chuckled nervously when Bardock glared at him. "Hehe, sorry. I'm just Saiyan."

"Shut the hell up."

* * *

Now that the mother hen was out in the town with the Briefs, Bardock brought his sons out to the back of the home he had constructed all by himself. He placed empty tin cans on top of the fence. The boys cheered when he pulled the big iron out of his holster. He had a variety of guns now inside the safety of his room, but the big iron was the family favorite.

"Do we really get to use it, Papa!?" Kakarot danced from foot to foot and clapped his hands excitedly. He was only seven but always dreamed of holding his dad's big iron.

"Raditz first," Bardock handed the gun to his oldest, who took it with wide eyes. "Don't get trigger happy just yet, boy. I need to show you the proper form. See how you're holding it right now?"

The eleven-year-old looked at the gun in his hands and shrugged. "What about it?"

"You never, ever have your thumbs crossed like that. Trust me," Bardock showed them the two marks on his skin that never went away. "Gave me a snake bite. I'm going to show you the position that worked best for me when starting."

Kakarot observed how Raditz's right hand was secure on the grip and the left was filling up the empty space. His father explained how the gun could recoil and knock him over if the handling wasn't secure when firing. Once Raditz was told he was ready for shooting, he pulled the trigger but missed the can he was aiming for.

"Try again, son. Practice makes perfect."

Raditz shot over and over again, and Kakarot was growing impatient. He wanted to see those cans get knocked over! "Papa, papa! Can I try? Pretty please with a cherry on top?"

"You must be plum loco to think you could do better than me!" Raditz growled and Kakarot returned it, but Bardock just laughed. He needed some amusement.

"Go 'head and give your little brother the gun. If he knocks over a can, I'll make flapjacks."

Kakarot clapped his hands excitedly while Raditz knew they'd never get those flapjacks. He handed his gun to his little brother who immediately got into the correct position before Bardock could explain anything.

Scratching his head, Bardock backed up to give his youngest some room. "You sure do learn fast. Maybe we should've put you in school after all," He glanced at Raditz and told himself they should've never taken that one out. "Pull the trigger when-"

If they blinked, they would have missed it.

Kakarot knocked over each can he aimed out until all five were on the ground. He lifted up the barrel and blew the smoke away before handing the big iron back to his dad. "Yay! Now we get flapjacks!"

"Ay dios, mio! Shit!" Bardock couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. He took the gun from his son quickly before the child decided to shoot at something besides cans. Raditz was stunned into silence that his baby brother was a quicker, more accurate shot than himself. The father got down to Kakarot's level and held him tightly by the thin shoulders. "Kakarot! What the fuck was that!?"

The child made an 'o' with his mouth at his father's naughty words. "Ooh, you know Mama doesn't like a dirty mouth..."

"She doesn't like guns either. Seriously, boy. Have you used one before this?"

"No!" Kakarot pouted at the accusation. "You won't give me the keys!"

Bardock ran a hand through his hair that matched his youngest and controlled his breathing. He stood up and cleared his throat. "Boys, you need to listen to me carefully. We mustn't speak a word of what happened right now to your mother. Understand?"

Raditz, hoping nobody would ever find out, nodded immediately. Kakarot shrugged, not caring either way unless he got his flapjacks. "Are you going to make us food or not!?"

"Yes!" Bardock spoke through gritted teeth and gestured for his sons to follow him. He did try his best to not raise his voice but Kakarot loved to pester him. He'd been that way ever since he was born. He was a mama's boy for sure and made it well known. Raditz was all about his papa. "I swear. Not a word."

"Can't talk when your mouth is full of flapjacks, can ya?"

Bardock paused at the door to glare at his youngest. Who the hell raised this sassy little shit? "Just go sit down!"

Kakarot giggled and ran past his dad, always finding it funny when he got mad. Raditz tried to sneak by without getting the third degree but was stopped by a hand on his chest.

"You and I will ride out one of these days to get your aim right. Wipe that glum look off your face."

Raditz grinned when he was pulled into a one-armed hug followed by a quick kiss on the head. His father never lost confidence in him. When they entered the kitchen, Kakarot was wearing a little apron and holding two different size bowls.

"Papa! Let's make it together!"

No matter how much the chamaco drove him up the wall, he always reeled him back in. Bardock placed his hat on Kakarot's head. "Get to it, cowboy."

After the kitchen was a mess and their bellies were full, the door opened up. Gine dropped her bag of canned goods at the sight of the home she left spotless just a mere two hours ago. With powder on each face, the boys grinned nervously.

"Hi, Mama!" Kakarot burped. "We made flapjacks and Papa let us shoot his gun!"

"Pinche cabron!" Bardock pounded the table while Kakarot winced after accidentally letting the truth slip. Gine was glaring at her husband with a straight face and didn't take her eyes off him as she spoke to her sons.

"Raditz, Kakarot. Please go to your room and shut the door."

The children were gone in a flash but kept their door open just a crack to hear the argument that was about to erupt. This is when they learned all their curse words. Gine slammed her hand down near his plate and looked down at Bardock, who was whistling while sweating and looking at anything but the angry woman.

"What did I tell you about letting our sons use guns?"

"Darling, I have no idea what you're referring to."

"Bardock," she groaned and held her forehead with one hand while breathing in. "Our sons will defend themselves like real men, with their fists."

The husband pushed the chair back so he could stand and finally face her. He took her hands in his own and despite her anger, she held them back. "Fists ain't gonna save them with the other guy has a six-shooter, darling. The world's not peaceful and it's only getting worse."

"I don't want them using guns," she repeated herself and kept her voice strong and firm. "They won't ever be put in a situation where they need it as long as we have something to do with it."

Bardock cursed under his breath, knowing his kids were brown-nosing nearby. He always did promise he'd protect them at all cost. "You win as per usual, darling. No more guns for the rascals. Can you smile for me, now? I ain't seen you all day."

"You're lucky I love you so much," Gine gave in and showed her teeth to him. He got close to her ear while moving his hands to her hips.

"Una sonrisa hermosa," he purred and she giggled and shook in his grasp. They shared a tender kiss before slow dancing to the music inside their heads. After hearing no more noise, Kakarot and Raditz crept into the kitchen and caught them in the act. Kakarot sighed while leaning on his brother.

"Isn't it romantic?"

"Shut up, Kakarot!" Raditz gagged and shoved his brother off him. "I can't believe you're my kin!"

Hearing their children, Bardock and Gine stopped and smiled at the bickering brothers. Gine let go of the father to hold the hands of her oldest instead. His face was stoic and his body was stiff until she began humming an upbeat tune. As they swayed around the messy kitchen, Bardock smirked at Kakarot who was clapping his hands for the beat.

"Wanna see how I use to dance?"

Kakarot nodded his head in excitement and watched as his father held onto his belt loops and pointed his heels up. Kakarot copied his left to right motions and got the hang of it quickly. The family danced in the home they built together, not knowing that this memory would live on in three of them long after one had passed on.

The good times didn't last forever. Close to a year-long drought had destroyed the crops and killed off most of the animals. For the children's sake, Bardock and Gine assured them that everything was as normal as ever but it was getting harder to pretend. That was most likely why the night Tora came knocking on the door to go have a drink in town for old time's sake, Bardock didn't hesitate to take him up on the offer.

While they drank whiskey at the bar of an old saloon, Tora told him why Gohan hadn't come down to visit.

"He said his old friend Turtle-"

"Tortuga."

"Yeah, that's what I said. He's been having some issues down on the border so Gohan wanted to help out. He said he explained a little bit in the last letter he sent but didn't have time to send another."

Bardock paused a moment before downing another shot. He really could use his viejito's help, too. "Why the fuck would he go there by himself?"

"You know he's a rambling man. You can't tell him what to do. Huh. Remind you of anyone?"

The old friends clunked their glasses together and drank a few more. Both had built up a high tolerance over the years and weren't feeling a thing. Either that or the bartender was a shyster and hiding the good stuff. Two men a couple of seats down spoke their mind.

"Hey, asshole! Serve that blackout booze, not this pussy shit!"

"Here, here!" Tora cheered and got their attention. "Where you fellas from?"

"The north," the bearded one called back. "You?"

"This is our neck of the desert!"

As the three continued to talk, Bardock held his now aching head in his hands. It wasn't the weak alcohol doing it, but the stress was getting the best of him. How could he earn a living to support his wife and children when the land he knew so well betrayed him? They were close to selling the remaining animals and lastly the house, which he absolutely refused to do.

"What's wrong with your partner?"

"He's going through a tough time! Farmers and droughts don't mix well!"

"Shut the fuck up, hijo de perra!" Bardock snapped and looked up with bloodshot eyes. The strange men were coming towards them, holding in secrets they couldn't say aloud. The bearded one with dark brown hair that spiked upward leaned in close. Bardock could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"I've got a soft spot for the poor working class, friend. So I'm going to let you and your compadre here join."

Bardock didn't like where this was going. He could sense a darkness within the man and his bald buddy. "Join what, exactly?"

"We call ourselves the Saiyans. We steal from the rich to give to the poor, like modern-day Robin Hoods. Understand friend?" The teeth the man revealed in his smile reminded Bardock more of the big bad wolf than anything. The wolf stuck his large hand out for Bardock to shake. "Name's Vegeta, Vegeta the third if you're curious. This is my right hand Nappa."

When Bardock wouldn't shake, Tora did it for him and glared at his friend immediately after doing it. "You'll have to forgive him," Tora chuckled nervously at the peeved expression of Vegeta after being rejected. "He's got trust issues on account of him being an orphan after-"

"PUTA MADRE!" Bardock roared and the Saiyans chuckled when the farmer's fist connected with Tora's shoulder blade.

"Ow! Will ya stop talking about my mom!?" While the faithful but blabbermouth friend rubbed it, Vegeta grinned.

"I don't know what he said, but I like this guy. He's got spunk. You'd be perfect for us."

When Bardock was able to fix his snarl, he looked away from Tora to the smirks of Vegeta and Nappa. "You sound like two desperate outlaws. I'm not interested."

Vegeta's lip twitched at the comment and reached towards his holster. Bardock was going for his but paused when Vegeta went for his pocket instead of the gun. He revealed a large bundle of cash that made the friends' jaws go ajar.

"Tell me, does this look desperate?"

Bardock and Tora looked away from the money to one another, trying to communicate with just their eyes. Was this the devil tempting them or the real deal? The clearing of Vegeta's throat as the whiskey burned him caused them to break their silent conversation.

"Why don't you come with us tomorrow just to see what it's like? Since you say you live close, we'll pick you up in our wagon. You two can just sit back and observe."

The money was big proof that whatever they did worked, and just checking it out didn't seem too awful. Bardock said a prayer in his head in hopes he was making the right choice when he said, "Don't tell my wife what you really do. It'll be hard to convince her otherwise."

"Of course not!" Vegeta's grin grew. "It's a family business, after all! My son will be joining us!"

"Your son?" Bardock blinked. "How old is he?"

"Twelve. Tough little shit makes his old man proud. He's upstairs sleeping right now."

Sake's alive, Bardock thought. Raditz was very close in age to him. Whatever they did couldn't be that bad to have a kid that old around. Against his better judgment, he finally gave Vegeta a firm handshake.

After his family met and were charmed by the Saiyans, Bardock was free to go. In Gine's mind, he was working late nights to construct new homes in the west. The money he was bringing home was enough to convince her. Kakarot believed the lie as well, while Raditz had grown suspicious after meeting the kid that hung out with them. He mentioned something about the group being Saiyans, whatever that meant, and caught his father one night covering his face with a bandana.

"Where are you going, Pops?"

"Shit!" Bardock dropped his gun to the floor after being startled by his oldest. He picked it up and put it in its rightful spot. "What are you still doing up? It's past your bedtime."

"Why are you covering your face?"

Quick to think, Bardock responded with, "So I won't choke on the dust."

"Is it so they won't see who you are?"

It pissed him off sometimes how smart his sons were. He pulled the red bandana down and feigned a grin. The five o'clock shadow on his chin had made him looked much older than thirty-two. "I'm not hiding my face from anyone. See how dirty this gets? Can you please go back to bed?"

Raditz frowned. He wished his father wasn't such a convincing liar. "Can we go on that ride you promised soon? Vegeta wants to have a shooting competition."

"You have my word," that was something truthful coming from the father's lips. "As soon as I get back."

"Okay," Raditz smiled for once. The Saiyans were outside whistling for Bardock to come out. His father pulled up his bandana to cover his face once more and disappeared out the door without a goodbye.

Feeling guilty after his son called him out, Bardock was silent the entire horse ride. Lots of folks were expected to be heading west for the gold mines and the majority of them were rich with stagecoaches filled with cases of cash and jewels. They waited patiently on their horses for some fool to wander out in the desert without a convoy.

Their target was in sight and they rode towards the rolling stagecoach, guns ablazing. The driver came to a stop as the older Vegeta questioned him about where he was headed. The fifteen-year-old and Nappa opened the doors and forced the passengers out onto their knees while Bardock and Tora searched the cases. The young father grabbed the one that had cash inside but someone caught his eye.

A little baby, unusually silent, blinking at him.

"Fuck..."

He could hear the Saiyans giving the people their usual spiel while looking to Tora for help. His friend shrugged in return. "Just leave it. They'll be back in here after we leave."

As soon as Tora said it, there was screaming and shouting coming from both sides outside the stagecoach. Bardock peered through the window and saw Vegeta, Sr. had one of the male passengers in a chokehold.

"Just for this mother fucker getting mouthy, he's going to watch you all die!"

Bardock watched on in horror as the driver and two female passengers were shot dead where they kneeled.

"BARDOCK, DON'T!"

"NO!" he grabbed the infant and jumped out of the stagecoach as the victim in the chokehold cried seeing his family killed. Hearing his daughter cry, the passenger looked with bulging eyes to see her in Bardock's arms. His bandana had fallen under his chin after all his screaming. "STOP! He has a baby!"

Vegeta, Sr. growled while Nappa muttered 'idiot' under his breath. The man he was holding onto began to cry more, begging for the Saiyans to spare his life. The leader wasn't sure who was pissing him off more out of the two. "You see what you made me do?" he whispered harshly to the passenger. "This all could've been avoided if you didn't open that fucking mouth."

Bardock thought the gun was aimed at him, but he didn't feel the bullet go through after the trigger was pulled. The desert had grown quieter than it ever had been once everyone realized who was just shot. Bardock was disorientated as the cries of the infant ceased and his hands were drenched in her blood. The agonized scream of the man only caused Bardock's breathing to become more uneven. He fell to his knees the same time Vegeta threw the man down. Bardock carefully placed the infant on the dirt beside him and turned away from the image. His crimson hands dug into the dirt and he violently vomited on all fours, and when there was nothing left he dry heaved.

Tora was the only one who stayed behind with him after the others rode off to leave them to clean up the mess. He looked down at the man rocking back and forth with his deceased baby in his arms. Bardock heard Tora getting his gun ready and struck his head up. "No! We can't!"

Although knowing something was bound to happen to them by keeping this stranger alive, Tora felt terrible for all parties involved. He lifted Bardock up and they left the bodies and stagecoach behind as they rode back home. Once they came to the ranch, Tora glanced at his friend who looked like he had just been through hell and back.

"Are you sure you want to go in looking like that?"

"Get the fuck out of here, Tora. Go home."

The only real amigo he had in the entire world besides his wife and a missing Gohan knew Bardock just wanted him safe. He patted his friend and took off into the night, leaving Bardock to go in alone and tell Gine the truth.

She was waiting for him when he walked in. She held a lantern up and gasped at the visage the flames revealed. "Why are you covered in blood!? Did something happen at work!?"

"Darling."

Gine brought the lantern back to his face and frowned at his expression. He was trying to control his breathing as his eyes remained red and puffy. "What's wrong?" her voice cracked and she placed the lantern down on the floor in order to hold him.

He opened up to her and told her the truth about the Saiyans, the money, and what had just happened. By the end of it, he was left looking defeated and his face was drenched from his tears. Gine had separated herself from him, still in shock that her husband could've been part of such terrible crimes behind her back. Her anger was the winning emotion as she spoke with a sting.

"This kind of sinful living only leads to a fall."

Bardock hung his head, unable to look her in the eyes when they were full of disappointment. Instead of making him feel worse about his participation in carnal acts, Gine sighed and wrapped her arms around him again.

"Don't go with them ever again."

"I won't, darling. I promise."

* * *

"Lord Almighty. That is some terrifying shit. Um, excuse me for a second," Hercule got up to throw up in his trash bin. When he was done, he sat back down with Bardock and wiped the remainder off with his handkerchief. "You do realize you're admitting what you've witnessed to a man of the law, right?"

"The one who did it is dead and I'm already here."

"Oh," Hercule blinked and then snapped his fingers when he realized something. "Hey! That letter you have me send went to your sons. Why haven't you written to your wife, yet? Did you two separate after that?"

"She's dead."

Hercule looked down at his hands and cursed under his breath. "Shoot, I'm sorry Bardock... We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I understand."

"It's all part of what brought me here. I won't get into much detail, though. Maybe you can fabricate it a little when you write my novel."

* * *

Bardock was finally able to convince Gine to let him take Raditz out shooting on a father-son trip. He had taken his hunting rifles and one handgun while leaving his special big iron in the care of his wife just in case she needed it. His son was ecstatic and didn't stop talking the entire way there. After they had worked on improving his shot, they were now camping out underneath the stars far from home.

Coyotes could be heard howling to one another in the dead of night and the sound was comforting rather than frightening for Raditz because he was with his pops, the bravest man of all.

They laid out on blankets and studied the constellations. Raditz pointed to a special part of the sky he knew very well. "See that, Pops? Doesn't it look like two bears?"

Bardock turned his head to look at his son incredulously. "Now how in the hell do you see that?"

"Just gotta imagine it!"

The father tried but just couldn't do picture it. "Oh yeah. Like two grizzlies."

Raditz shot up as he remembered he had packed something special for his father. "I'll be right back!" The son ran to his horse's saddlebag and took out a small item wrapped in a cloth. "I made something for you!"

Bardock propped himself up on his elbows as his son unraveled the cloth. It was an all-black chain with a black cross. He took it from his son and admired it in silence for a few minutes before finding the words. "Raditz...you made this?"

"Well not by myself," he rubbed his boot in the dirt shyly. "I went to a blacksmith but I told him what to do. If you look at the cross, it has the letters of all of our names on the back! Cool, huh?"

Bardock flipped it over. B, G, R, and K. He put the necklace that forged in a fire around his neck to keep there forever. He got up to embrace his son and kiss the top of his head. "The best gift I've ever received besides you and your brother. Thank you."

Raditz smiled up at his father. "Maybe next time we can bring Kakarot? I think I've been too mean to him lately."

"That sounds like a mighty fine idea," Bardock put his arm over his son's shoulder and walked them back to the fire. "Let's get some shut-eye so we can treat them to a trip to town tomorrow."

The morning had come sooner than expected, but the father and son were ready and eager to get back home. Raditz really wanted to show his ma and brother what he had given Bardock, and Bardock just felt refreshed after this little vacation that he was craving their company. They rode their horses the two hours back and sped up when the ranch was in sight.

After tying up the horses, Bardock pulled up the carnations that had finally bloomed and arranged them in a bouquet. He hid them behind his back as Raditz opened the door.

"SURPRISE!"

What they had never expected to see was Kakarot holding onto his mother, crying and saying 'no' over and over again. Her eyes were closed like she was dreaming peacefully, but their surroundings proved that horribly wrong. The man that Bardock had let go of had a bullet hole in his forehead and laid lifeless on the tile, gun still in hand.

Kakarot looked up at his brother and father with a quivering lip. He was covered in Gine's blood. "The angels took Mama away."

The bouquet fell from Bardock's hands and the quiet noise it made when it landed filled the entire house. The love of his life was taken away in a place she should have been most safe but he had let evil into their lives. Each step he took it felt like his boots weighed tons. Kakarot moved back when Bardock sat cross-legged on the floor to look at her beautiful face.

She had died smiling.

Kakarot would later on tell him it was because she took a bullet for him and saved his life, giving him enough time to take down the intruder.

Bardock kissed her on the lips that were supposed to be warm but were cold instead. He felt his sons hugging him from behind as they all released the saddest sound that a person could ever make.

They had lost the heart and backbone of their family.

* * *

"She was buried under her favorite tree. I never loved another woman after that. The next few years were pretty rough."

Hercule had to get up and walk around to keep himself from crying. All he could think about was losing his own wife and soon the tears got the best of him. He wiped them away quickly before returning to the inmate. "Golly gee Bardock," he sniffed. "You can't blame yourself for what that dirty bastard did. You really think it's your fault?"

Bardock's cross felt extra heavy whenever he talked about that day. He didn't want to think about the funeral. They had to restrain Kakarot from being buried in the ground with her. They were hard-pressed to smile after the service was over. "My one regret is ever getting involved with those Saiyans. Now I fear my sons are in their clutches."

"Why do you say that?"

"We avoided them the best we could, but not even a year later the younger Vegeta came to tell us his father was shot on a quickdraw. Then the war happened and Vegeta liked how my sons and I did construction work. He gave us an offer that was too good to pass up, and I figured it would be alright since he wasn't as bad as his father was."

Hercule didn't like where this was going. "Are we getting to the part where you end up here?"

Bardock stretched his hand through the wooden bar for another cigarette. He put it in his mouth and Hercule lit it with a match. "About to," he inhaled the tobacco and exhaled the smoke rings. The sheriff felt the need for a cigarette as well after this wild story and sparked one up along with him. "Anyway. Kakarot and Raditz are spending a lot of time with Vegeta doing God knows what. Prostitutes, stealing, murder. I didn't like to think about it and didn't ask. I didn't want to be a part of it. One day this pendejo Frieza shows up while I'm fixing up Aces..."

* * *

Bardock heard the sophisticated way the man in white and purple spoke, but couldn't detect the malice that Vegeta claimed was there. He was currently on a ladder fixing nails in the ceiling as the lord who shot the leader of the Saiyans was discussing matters with the other men inside Aces. Apparently, the short man ran Cold's Ridge, a town in the northwest that had no laws due to it not being a territory or state.

"I'm willing to pay one of you $10,000 to accompany me to the south. No catch. Any takers?"

"Oh! Me, me, me!"

"What the fuck!?" Bardock glanced down at the same time the men in the room looked up at him. His youngest was waving his arm around like an idiot. "No son of mine is going to the south."

"I'm a grown man, Pops! You can't tell me what to do!"

Vegeta snapped his fingers to get Bardock's attention. He was far off in the opposite corner, not wanting to interact with the man who killed his father but not wanting to be without any information. Bardock climbed down the ladder and got close to the new leader of the Saiyans while Frieza watched them with interest.

"He'll end up slaughtering Kakarot. You should go."

"Why?" Bardock narrowed his eyes but kept his voice a whisper. He always could feel when eyes were on him. "You want me dead instead?"

"No. You handle yourself better than that clown. You can report back what you find out is going on in the south with these fuckers."

Bardock sighed. He knew how persistent his son would be if he didn't step in. He turned around and faced the purple-haired aristocrat who was smiling slyly. "I'll take the place of my son," he ignored the whines coming from both Kakarot and Raditz. "But I want to know what I'm doing and I want to see the money first."

"I always trust a man who doesn't trust others," Frieza's laugh was unique. "Very well. You'll be my stagecoach driver as my own men are quite incompetent when it comes to the trails. I know you Saiyans are all about survival. One trip there and back, and the money in the boot is all yours."

Bardock raised an eyebrow at how easy it all seemed. "Are you planning on killing someone?"

"Me?" Frieza cackled and waved his hand at him. "Please. This is a professional visitation. The only time we'll shoot our guns is if we encounter trouble on the trail. What say you?"

Bardock had a hard time reading the lord. It was evident he had the power over him, but to what degree he didn't know. He knew the Vegetas went to him a lot for help. "Fine," he finally said. "Let me just talk with my sons and I'll be ready."

Frieza clapped his hands together and bowed. "Marvelous! I'll be in the stagecoach."

After he had left the room followed by his people, Kakarot and Raditz cornered Bardock. His long-haired son grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Are you mad, Pops!? That's the guy who killed Vegeta's dad!"

"You didn't speak up when Kakarot volunteered!"

"Well he's an idiot," Raditz stood still when his brother smacked him. "But he's young and goofy enough to charm his way out of trouble. You ain't a spring chicken anymore, Pops. Plus you can be a bit argumentative."

Bardock rolled his eyes and pushed his son off him. "You act like I can't take care of myself. I'm doing this for both of you and I want you to listen to me carefully. Head back west to the ranch until I return. We'll use the money to fix it up."

The brother looked at one another and then smiled childlike as if they were seven and eleven again. "You really think we can get it up and running again!?" Kakarot's eyes were shining brightly in hopes of a better life and Bardock nodded.

"With that kind of money, we can do more than that. Stay there until I'm back. Make this one promise to me. No more Saiyan business."

After the sons agreed, Bardock gave them a short hug goodbye and headed to the outside of Aces. Frieza was sitting comfortably inside his stagecoach that was his favorite colors. Bardock lowered his hat a little more than usual, embarrassed to be seen driving it. As they moved further away from town, Frieza decided he wanted to play a game of twenty questions.

"So Bardock, I hate to say this but looking at your skin tone I am curious if you are from the states?"

"Does it matter if I am or not?"

"Oh ho ho, no. I hate everyone all the same."

"Heh," Bardock scoffed. "At least you're honest. If you really want to know, I lived where the Battle of the Monument took place. I ended up living in a country that decided to switch its name overnight even though I was in the same place as before."

"Ah, how tragic. So you understand Spanish then, yes?"

"I'm a bit rusty now."

"I consider myself a man of culture and well-traversed. My favorite quote is, 'mejor malo conocido que bueno por conocer'. You know what that means?"

Bardock scrunched his eyebrows together as turning a sharp corner. "It is better a well-known bad guy, than a good one you're about to know. Which one are you in this situation?"

"Both."

Bardock shook his head and continued to get the lord through a variety of towns and badlands. He wasn't allowed to sleep in the same hotels in this area that Frieza was, so he had to spend many of the nights in the stagecoach. He'd spend that time looking at the initials on his cross and thinking about how lonely Gine was waiting on him.

_Just give me some more time, darling. I have a lot to do._

Once they had reached the southern town of Black Crystal, Frieza had him stop in front of a building. He got out and motioned for Bardock to follow him. "This is who I had to see. Come on in."

Bardock looked at the name of the building and eyed the lord with suspicion. "I wasn't allowed to use the same outhouse as you in this shithole part of the country and you're telling me I can waltz right into the sheriff's office?"

"My brother works here. He wouldn't harm a fly."

"Right," Bardock checked to make sure his gun was in his holster as he got off the stagecoach. Frieza had entered through the double doors with Bardock following close behind. A short, chubby bald man with the star badge was shaking and rolling dice out of boredom from this sleepy town. Behind him leaning against the wall was a person every bit identical to Frieza, white hair and all, but taller and older. The sheriff glanced up when he saw who had entered.

"Oh, hi Frieza!" the sheriff snorted but didn't get out of his chair. "I told this to your brother but he didn't crack a smile. If you guys ever have kids, you can call them chill-dren!"

The sheriff pounded his fist as he laughed loudly at his pun. Bardock and Frieza exchanged the same look with one another before the lord faked a chuckle. "Kai, you're absolutely hysterical. Where do you come up with your ideas?"

As he was about to give away the secret to his source material, the Frieza look-alike came up behind him and shot the back of the sheriff's head. Blood and guts covered his desk when the bang was heard and Bardock jumped out of his skin.

"HOLY SHIT!"

The former Saiyan took his pistol out but the brothers already had their guns pointed at him. He didn't know who to get first but kept a steady hand as he continually switched between the two.

"Careful Bardock," Frieza warned. "You kill one of us, the other kills you and your sons. I'd think wisely about your next decision."

The father gritted his teeth and slowly placed his gun back into his holster while the brothers never lowered theirs. "Alright, Frieza. What's this really about? You can't just freely shoot sheriffs."

Frieza shrugged his shoulders. "We had to make my brother's coronation look believable. He cares far too much for the people of this town for his own reasons and didn't want one of them to be blamed. I knew a certain gang that really irritates me and could pay for a sin or two and you took the bait. Now you'll be hanged while my brother becomes sheriff. Fun, hm?"

Bardock was so focused on Frieza that he didn't notice the brother had moved behind him and placed him in handcuffs. "You sick bastard! You were going to do this to my son!"

"It could've been anyone don't flatter yourself," Frieza winked and opened the double doors for the crowd to see what had gone down. Horrified gasps and screams erupted as they saw their beloved sheriff dead on his desk. "I am a bit sad it had to be you. I actually enjoyed our conversations."

As the town shouted for a hanging, Bardock kept his gaze steady on the tyrant. "There's no proof I did it! You'll never get away with this!"

"Oh my dear sir, this is the south. Look at you, then look at us. Nobody's going to question it."

As the new sheriff shoved the Saiyan outside the door and people booed and began throwing rocks, Bardock fought against it and came back inside the office. He tripped on a book while trying to charge at Frieza with his hands behind his back. "DON'T TOUCH MY FUCKING SONS!"

"I won't lay a finger on them as long as they don't get in my way. Bye now."

Bardock snarled and growled as he was forced out by Sheriff Cooler. The town had unanimously voted to send him to the notorious Devil's Pass, where the worst outlaws had been part of a public hanging that gathered visitors from all over the country. As he was tied up in the back of a wagon and taken the furthest west he had ever been, all he could think about once the initial anger wore off was how he ended up paying for Gine's death. It was cruel. It was fate. Another character gets their just-dessert.

By the time they had reached the prison, Bardock had no fight left in him. The wagon cover opened up to reveal a young man with a short brown afro and bright blue eyes. Without a word, he got up and walked the line to await his day of judgment.

* * *

"And that's the entire story."

Hercule held on tightly to his head putting the puzzle pieces together. Sheriff Cooler of Black Crystal was the true murderer of Kai, and he was walking around scot-free! The sheriff of Devil's Pass pounded his fist against the wall and returned to Bardock after having an idea. "Oh, I know! We report him to the proper venues! Get this story all over the paper!"

"My hanging is in less than a month and you've got folks who have been on the trail for months to see me die. It's a little too late for that," Bardock finished his cigarette. His third one in the ashtray. "Don't stress yourself out, Satan. I just wanted one person to know the truth. I'm fine with what happens to me now. My boys are safe and I'll be getting what I deserve."

"You don't deserve any of this!" Hercule grabbed the wooden bars and looked at the shell of the man from the stories he had just heard. "You're a great, great man! I can't... I won't!"

Bardock watched as the sheriff grabbed his keys and opened the gate widely. "What the hell are you doing?"

"It's nighttime. It'll give you plenty of time to escape. Just go! Go on, git!" Hercule waved his arms rapidly like he was trying to get rid of his dog. "I said git now! Before someone catches ya!"

Bardock chuckled and grabbed the gate to close himself back in. "Sorry, Satan. My darling's waiting on me and I ain't gonna find her out there."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEFORE IT IS BROUGHT UP - with Kakarot and Raditz visiting Gine’s grave next chapter , I went a bit light on her scene here. Plus a few chapters back there was Kakarot’s POV from that night. 
> 
> So since this chapter was the length of three/four regular ones, I am going to chill out on the updates for a week or so in order for readers to catch up and take a break from me lmfao! Next chapter will be much lighter, and of course have my GoChi back.


	17. Meet me at Tortoise Creek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final month of a long journey leaves Chi-Chi questioning the unexplainable feeling she has for Kakarot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day weekend! This is my gift to you! I hope you enjoy <3

"See!? I told ya he didn't hate you!" Kakarot wrapped his arms tightly around Chi-Chi after she read Vegeta's secret letter aloud and squeezed her once before letting her go. She giggled and slipped it into the pocket of her coat. They were sitting on the front porch of the Brief's large home with not an inch between them.

"Well, I still hate him. But I don't want to kill him anymore. I just want peace."

Kakarot smiled at her while tracing the outline of her jaw, noting how soft her skin was despite everything it had been through. "You'll get it, darling. I still can't believe you shot him."

"What would you have done if I killed him?"

Kakarot took an honest minute to think about it. He understood why she did it, especially for what Vegeta did to her father. The outlaw was still his friend and a damn good one at that. He was with him on the worst day of Kakarot's life and he could never forget that. "I suppose I would've been angry and hurt, but I could also see myself forgiving you for it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," he loved the way she never broke contact. Their lips were hovering near each other. "How could I not?"

Kakarot could've sworn they were about to do more than give each other a simple smooch, but the door had busted wide open. The young adults jolted at the sound and looked at who had done it with pink cheeks.

"Oh, hi cutie pies! Just came out here to tell you all that dinner is ready!"

"Thanks, Mrs. Brief," Kakarot feigned a smile at the blonde for interrupting them. "Did you and Chi-Chi here have a proper introduction while I was momentarily out of commission?"

The woman clasped her hands together while looking at the girl up and down when she stood up. "I heard she was your girlfriend! How gorgeous is she!?"

Chi-Chi blushed at the phrase and shook her hands in front of her. "Oh, no! I'm not his girlfriend. I'm just a fellow traveler."

Ignoring her protests, Mrs. Brief locked arms with Chi-Chi and brought her back inside the house. Kakarot rubbed the back of his neck with a nervous smile on his face. Bulma's mother was always blissfully unaware of what the Saiyans or anyone ever did. "I need to show you a picture I have of Kakarot when he was younger. He was the sweetest little child."

Chi-Chi glanced over her shoulder to see Kakarot was just as interested in the photo as she was. The women came to a halt in front of a wooden hutch and Mrs. Brief took out a grainy, worn photograph. On the rectangle-shaped film was a man who looked eerily similar to Kakarot holding hands with a beautiful woman. Two little boys were sitting in the grass near them. They were in front of a large home with animals in the background.

"Oh, Kakarot..." she could feel her eyes getting misty as she turned to show him the photograph. "Is this...?"

He took it gently from her hands and forgot how to breathe when he saw a face he hadn't seen in thirteen years. He had no clue that Mrs. Brief had this photo taken as he was only a toddler when it was snapped. His shaky finger pointed to his mother and he showed Chi-Chi the first love of his life. "That's my ma, and that man right beside her is Pops. Folks say we can be twins, but I don't see it."

Chi-Chi rolled her eyes at his sarcasm and inspected the image further. His father was just as handsome as the cowboy near her, and his mother looked very much in love with him. "You have her eyes. So pretty!"

"Don't think I've ever been told I've got pretty eyes, but thank ya, darling!" Kakarot winked and pointed to his young self. "Think I've changed much since then?"

"If you two ever decide on having children, they're going to be the sweetest most beautiful little scamps there ever was!" Mrs. Brief gushed after getting into their conversation and lifted a leg up behind her. "I can see it now! You'll have to bring them by when it happens!"

Chi-Chi hid her face in her hands while Kakarot put an arm proudly around her. "You won't need to wait long to see cute babies! Bulma's pregnant, remember?"

The sound of Raditz snoring was nothing compared to the sounds coming from Vegeta's mouth. The patient and the doctor had just made their way downstairs to enjoy a nice meal. Vegeta's face was reddening while the Briefs' jaws had dropped. "Kakarot!" he seethed. "You little shit! They don't know that!"

"Oh..." Kakarot sucked in air through his teeth as Bulma's parents let out a war hoot. They had their hands in the air and were cheering loudly, and soon had captured Vegeta in a series of hugs and kisses while he groaned. "Well, I guess they know now!"

* * *

_1858_

_Kakarot hadn't gotten out of bed in three days, and now he was expected to make an appearance in front of all these people._

_He buried himself deeper under the comfort and protection of the blanket, hoping that his numbness would finally take him away and reunite with his mama in heaven. He didn't want to see the Briefs or Vegeta or any of those people who_ _didn't understand what it was like to lose a parent. His dad had entered the bedroom a few times during the day but always at night to check in on him. The boy didn't utter a single word or eat a single bite and hadn't since the incident._

_The last time Bardock had popped in, he was asking Kakarot to help him with the finishing touches on the coffin. The child's response was a frustrated growl in disbelief that his father was wanting him to work on the box his mother's body was going to be sealed in for eternity. Bardock hadn't been back since then, but Kakarot was sensing someone in the doorway._

_"I said I ain't helping with no damn coffin!"_

_"It's me," Raditz's voice filled his ears. "It's time. You need to get out of bed and put on your Sunday best."_

_Kakarot pulled down the covers to glare at his brother. Raditz cried for only one day and had no issue assisting their father with the funeral. "You shouldn't even go. You don't care that Ma is dead!"_

_Raditz's face contoured in a mixture of anger and hurt. He ripped the blankets off Kakarot by his feet and threw it across the room. Now exposed, Raditz started beating on his brother. "Fuck you, Kakarot! Just because you're an emotional little shit and I ain't don't mean I'm not sad!"_

_Kakarot blocked a punch to his nose and then jumped out of bed. He began boxing his brother back, making sure to hit him hard in the gut. "You didn't even love Mama! You were always rude to her!"_

_"I LOVED MA MORE THAN I LOVE YOU!"_

_The brothers ended up on the floor, trying to choke one another out until someone called uncle. Their fight ended as soon as they heard the stern voice entering the room._

_"What the hell is going on in here?"_

_The boys lifted their heads to see their father standing there with his arms crossed over his chest. He was covered in black from hat to boots. The boys gulped, always terrified whenever he caught them fist fighting._

_"I fell," Raditz lied first._

_"And I was helping him up," Kakarot lied next._

_The father rolled his eyes and offered both of his hands to them. After they had taken each one, Bardock lifted them to their feet and looked at their outfits. Raditz was ready, but Kakarot was still in his pajamas and had been for a while._

_"Get dressed, boy. Don't be disrespectful to your mother."_

_Kakarot stared at his father while Raditz was leaving the room. His brother froze mid-step when he heard him mutter, "We wouldn't be having a funeral for her if it weren't for you."_

_"Kakarot!" Raditz snapped and kept switching his eyes between his usually cheery brother to his naturally calm father. Neither of them was acting the part. With Kakarot clenching his fists defiantly but not moving, Raditz decided to go for his father who was breathing roughly through flared nostrils. "Don't kill him, Pops! I don't wanna lose someone else!"_

_The younger brother sniffled but stood strong as the dad looked ready to strangle someone. He overheard Raditz and Bardock talking the other night about the man who shot Gine. He was a survivor of something bad that their father had done but Kakarot never found out exactly what that bad thing was. "Isn't that what you told Raditz? The bad man had a problem with you?"_

_The brothers were ready for Bardock to start whooping them to kingdom come. He had never laid a finger on them before, but he was so scary looking they didn't know what was coming next. Anything they could imagine was nothing compared to what he really did. Instead of using his hands for throwing, Bardock covered his face with them and dropped to his knees. Kakarot and Raditz glanced at one another with a bewildered look and then back at their father. The room had gotten so quiet they could've heard a pin drop. It made the sound of Bardock's quiet cries louder than they needed to be. Kakarot's lip began to quiver almost as badly as his father's shoulders shook. The brothers got on either side of him and hugged him tightly._

_Feeling their touch, Bardock interrupted the embrace by stretching his arms out to gather them into a circle on the floor. Their heads were all pressed together as they mourned the loss of their angel._

_"I'm so sorry," Kakarot coughed through his tears. His eyelids were shut tight to protect him against the stinging pain. "I love you, Papa!"_

_"I miss Mama so much!" Raditz followed shortly after. "What are we gonna do without her?"_

_"I don't know," Bardock quietly said after awhile. He looked at his sons' faces with red eyes and fell onto his bottom. His ten and fourteen year old went into his lap like they were little again. While the preacher and guests were waiting for them outside, the small family was holding tightly onto one another knowing they were all they had left in this cruel world. "I just don't know."_

_They could hear someone coughing from behind. They all looked back at the same time to see the younger Vegeta leaning against the frame. He was only sixteen but looked so much older from the hard life he lived. He had adhered to the all-black dress code just by wearing his regular attire._

_"Preacher's been asking for you, Bardock."_

_Bardock gave his sons one last hug before rising up. He wiped his eyes with the cuffs of his shirt sleeves. "Get dressed and meet us out there, Kakarot."_

_This time, the child didn't argue. He wordlessly got dressed into appropriate clothing and noticed that Vegeta remained in the door frame with his back facing him. The teenager didn't say anything to him, and he hardly ever did. Vegeta was way too cool and Kakarot secretly admired him. It was otherworldly seeing him waiting just for him._

_"Uh, Vegeta? Whatcha doing?" Not having reached his growth spurt yet, Kakarot was looking up to him. The cool kid shrugged his shoulders and motioned for the child to follow him._

_"I feel sorry for you."_

_"...Thanks?" Kakarot blinked at his back as he walked behind him. The front door opened and they were blinded by the desert sun. There was a small group of people gathered underneath the oak tree. The boy froze mid-step when he saw his father and Uncle Tora holding the box that contained his mama. His little hands balled into fists that shook with fear. Everything he ever loved was inside of that coffin, and she was going to be in the ground forever._

_"MAMA!" he cried out and earned the pitiful looks of the guests in attendance. Mrs. Brief and Bulma buried their faces in the doctor's shoulder as they sobbed. Raditz and Bardock had pained expressions as Kakarot began running to the open grave. Before he could make it down the aisle, he felt arms restraining him. "LET ME GO! LET ME GO!"_

_Vegeta grunted as Kakarot pried and bit his arms to be set free. The son of the Saiyan leader wasn't going to let the child go. "Shh. Stop. You need to be around to remember her so she can live."_

_After seeing his struggling wasn't getting him anywhere, Kakarot gave up and could feel Vegeta's hold loosening. Instead of using it as an opportunity to fall into the grave with his mama, Kakarot turned around and hugged Vegeta tightly. His tears and snot were soaking the teen's shirt. "I don't want to say goodbye...It hurts..."_

_Vegeta didn't say anything else. He stood there, putting his pride aside for once to comfort the boy who mourned the loss of someone he loved more than himself. He held onto him until the funeral ended, and even a few minutes after._

1871

For the first time on the journey west, the stagecoach was ahead of the horse riders. Chi-Chi chalked it up to Kakarot's excitement and acute knowledge of his childhood home's location. Her jaw dropped when his old ranch finally came into view. Although it was clear that the house had been abandoned, there was nothing but vintage beauty about it. The structure was made of untarnished wood that had survived almost thirty years' worth of dust and rainstorms. Kakarot's father had installed two balconies to overlook the east and west of the property. There were pastures where many moons ago, a variety of animals ran and feasted.

Her heart sank as she caught sight of what was under a large oak tree. She chanced a look at Kakarot who had stopped the stagecoach. Once the horses were still, he took his hat off his head and placed it over his heart. He was looking at the tombstone as well.

Unsure of what words would be best, she decided to silently reach for his hand instead. He took it without taking his eyes off the gravesite and brought her down from the stagecoach with him. Once their boots touched the dusty ground, Raditz and Vegeta were riding in. After getting off his horse, Raditz held Kakarot by the shoulder opposite of Chi-Chi.

"You ready to say goodbye again, brother?"

"Don't have much of a choice, do I?"

A whistle caught Chi-Chi off guard. She looked in the direction of where it was coming from and could see Vegeta standing in the doorway of the abandoned home. He was motioning for her to join him with his uninjured arm.

"Why don't you go inside for a little bit?" Kakarot nudged her. "I'll be fine. Promise."

They squeezed their hands tightly before releasing them. Chi-Chi glanced over her shoulder to see that the brothers were hugging one another and most likely crying. She placed a hand on her heart, feeling it ache for them. "Will they be alright?"

Vegeta had his hand on his holster as he searched the inside of the house for any hidden vagrants. When none were found, he nodded for Chi-Chi to enter. "That day fucked them up, but they're tough as nails. They'll be fine," even in his state he managed to light up a cigarette. He sat himself down in a dusty chair and took a puff. "I know one favor you could do to cheer Kakarot right up."

After waving the smoke out of her face with her hand, she settled her narrowed eyes on him. "What's that, dare I ask?"

"Let him get a gander of what's underneath. There ain't much to you, but legs are legs."

Chi-Chi twisted her face up in disgust at his suggestion while he threw his head back and laughed. "You're a no-good pig, Vegeta! I'll have you know Kakarot has seen everything and he's fond of it!" At least she assumed he did. She blushed at her own response, especially when it made Vegeta stop laughing to arch an eyebrow at her.

It took everything it had in him not to tell her all the Saiyans, even Nappa rest his soul, saw her tits out on full display back at Cold's Ridge. Thankfully Nappa saw a nice pair before passing on. He inhaled deeply so he wouldn't let it slip and get his ass kicked again. "You planning on breaking the kid's heart or you staying?"

She looked at the smoke rings released from his mouth that traveled upward to the ceiling. It still stunned her that Kakarot's father built this all on his own. "You know I'm not staying. This is the kind of life I never want to be part of again."

"Hm," his eyelids lowered while chewing on the stick known as the cowboy killer. "I'd remind him if I were you. He's been going on and on about an imaginary life with you in San Mariposa."

"San Mariposa?" Chi-Chi scrunched her eyebrows together at the unfamiliar name. "Where's that?"

"Beats me," Vegeta shrugged and kicked his feet up so they were stretched out to the chair across from him so the woman wouldn't sit in it. "But that's apparently where he's going to make you his bride. I don't fucking know. He was drinking from his canteen pretty heavy when you were asleep one night and wouldn't shut up about it."

Chi-Chi stared at Vegeta a little longer as he closed his eyes to take a short rest. There was no reason for him to lie to her anymore. She was going to tell him she'd return soon, but he was already snoring lightly from the trip. She went back out into the desert and shivered at the cool breeze. Chi-Chi would still take this over snow any day.

She walked slowly through the dirt and stopped when she could hear Raditz and Kakarot talking to one another. She hid behind the stagecoach and listened, waiting for the appropriate moment to join them.

Kakarot had no idea there was an extra pair of ears listening in as his brother placed the doll in front of their mother's tombstone. They were perplexed by the fact there were fresh flowers that had been placed there before they arrived. Whoever did it was close or at least had been.

"Who do you reckon would do a thing like this?"

"I dunno," Raditz shrugged. His eyes were still reddened from crying with his brother earlier. "Maybe one of Pop's old buddies? Does it matter when they're taking care of her?"

Kakarot smiled at the sweet thought and shook his head. "I suppose not. Mind if I have a minute to talk with her on my own?"

"Go ahead little brother," Raditz punched his shoulder lightly. "I'll go see if any of those damn cans are still in the back."

Once Raditz had left, Kakarot stared at the name and date on the tombstone. He sat down in front of it and traced the letters. "G-I-N-E, S-O-N. That's how you spell your name, Ma. Can you believe I know my letters now?" he closed his eyes when he felt the wind pick up, knowing she was listening. "It's all because of this little lady Chi-Chi. She believes in me like you. She's my darling, Ma. I love her."

Kakarot fixed the little doll Raditz left when it fell over. He placed right beside the beautiful flowers someone had left for her to enjoy. "I know that would make you happy, but I have to confess we didn't meet in the right way. I've done some things that wouldn't make you proud. I met her that way, too. But ever since then I've been a much better man. I want her to know I'd give up everything for her. I'd protect her with my life, Ma. She's all I want now."

Another breeze came by and blew a pink petal around. It made Kakarot grin through the tears that were forming.

"I know you love that, but she's got a different plan in mind. She'll be safe in her dream town while we save Pops and hightail it to San Mariposa or somewhere closer. Pops said our grandpa Gohan lives there. He's an old sheriff there. I don't think Pops knows we are on his way to save him and bring him there. You think he'll be happy or no?"

Kakarot laughed when he thought he heard his mom do the same. He shook his head and wiped a tear away. "Yeah, he's more stubborn than a mule. We love him, though. Anyway, Ma, no matter what Chi-Chi decides to do, I really want to find a way to thank her for everything. She really turned my life upside down in the right direction. I wish you two had a chance to meet. Mrs. Brief gave her a picture with the four of us and she thought you were beautiful. We have a piece of you forever now since I can't come back here anymore after we save Pops."

His voice cracked at the realization this truly was going to be the last time at home. He dug his bare hands into the soil and pressed his ear against it, wondering if he could hear the earth moving. "This isn't a goodbye, huh Mama? You'll always be here for me," he chuckled at the tears escaping and dripping into the dried soil. "I reckon I'll spend my entire life missing you."

Chi-Chi's back slid down the stagecoach until she was sitting on the ground. Her throat had gotten lumpy after hearing Kakarot's lonely exchange with his mother. He truly did love her and wanted to turn a new leaf. She was about to sniffle from her tears when Raditz had dropped in beside her.

"You like the old joint?"

She hurriedly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and nodded. "It's beautiful," she told the truth. After hearing Kakarot's exchange at his mother's grave, Chi-Chi studied the brother's face. He hid it well, but she could still tell he had been crying. "You look like you could use a hug."

Although he rolled his eyes, his arms still opened as wide as his smile.

* * *

Kakarot's eyes drifted away from Vegeta's map after he went over the plan at Devil's Pass over and over again. His sight landed on Chi-Chi who had been pouting over the constant reminder they were going to have a well-devised shootout. He watched her stand up to fill up her glass of water and took this as an opportunity to spend some alone time with her that had been so few. They were just a week away from their destinations now and exchanges of pleasantries were replaced by discussions of escape routes.

At a restaurant they knew wouldn't bring any harm to them, Kakarot excused himself as Raditz and Vegeta bickered. As he approached Chi-Chi, he cleared his throat so he wouldn't scare her. "Hello, darling. Are ya getting excited?"

"Mmhm!" she spoke with her mouth full of water and swallowed. She put the glass down on the table nearby and looked down at the ragged outfit she had on since leaving Cold's Ridge. Come to think of it, Kakarot hadn't changed out of his current clothing in quite some time. "I just wish I had something prettier to wear since we'll be in Sunnybellow in a week."

Kakarot snapped his fingers, having a perfect idea. He figured Vegeta would be fine with it seeing as he already had on his fancy pair of clothing. "How's about you and me shop around for something nice? I need to look great for my last day as a Saiyan, ya know. Plus I don't know many teachers who wear dungarees."

Chi-Chi's eyes lit up as if she liked what she heard. "Really!? You know how long it has been since I've worn a dress!?"

He offered her his hand and was able to sneak out without Vegeta noticing. The leader was too invested in his argument with Raditz about which gunshot better from far away. Once they had entered a clothing store, they broke free to explore the endless possibilities. Kakarot found his choice much faster than Chi-Chi, who was still weighing her options between two dresses.

"Get them both."

"Are you sure?"

"Anything for you darling," he winked but didn't tell her he still had money left that he stole from her. This would be the last time he'd be using dirty money to purchase something for her. "I already bought mine, so I'm gonna change. Take your time."

She waved him off but was waiting for him to disappear into the fitting room. While he did so, she snuck into another one and planned on wowing him with what she had selected. The tailors adjusted her in the quickest time they could and even helped her with the under layers to make sure the dress flowed out but was tight in all the right places. Feeling beautiful and a bit like her old self for the first time in months, she spun around in front of the full-length mirror to admire her image.

Her dress was pink and long to cover her boots. White lace and a black ribbon rested on her chest and protected the goods underneath. Her waist was tightened and small with a bodice. To top it all off, she pulled her hair up into a bun and placed a matching feather in it.

"Chi-Chi?"

For some reason, her heart fluttered when Kakarot called out her name. She busted open the double doors and held her arms up in the air. "Why, how do you do-" When she opened her eyes, she was stunned in silence at the man in front of her.

Standing taller than ever, Kakarot's clothing choice was much darker than her own. His jacket, pants, boots, and hat were all black and new. The only color he had was a dark blue shirt. Around his neck, he had a black bandana and around his body was a bandolier full of bullets. His hands were covered with dark gloves. Underneath all the clothing, she could detect large muscles that were ready to take on Devil's Pass.

Her stomach felt strange all of a sudden and she was at a loss for words. He had never looked more like an outlaw than he did right now, but he was so...

So...

"Hot..."

"What's that, Chi-Chi?"

"Nothing," she sweatdropped and fanned herself with her hand. "Oh my. I think we need to pay and head out."

"Okay," Kakarot smiled and allowed her to lead the way. He raised his hat up slightly so he could check out her backside. That dress was made for her. "You're awfully beautiful, princess."

Chi-Chi's 'thanks' was so quiet that he didn't hear it. With the way he was looking, she felt like a frog rather than a princess. It was making her angry he was causing her to feel so lightheaded. After he had paid and they put the rest of their clothing inside the stagecoach, Kakarot tried complimenting her again.

"I don't recollect you ever wearing your hair like that," he ran his thumb down from her neck to her collarbone. "I love that I can see this."

She squirmed at his touch and his dark voice. She had to keep reminding herself it was her libido falling for him and not her heart. But damn was that drive strong. "K-Kakarot let's head back to the restaurant. I'm famished."

Giving up, Kakarot sighed and escorted her to where his brother and Vegeta were still arguing. As they glanced over the menu of the day and the choices they had, Vegeta punched Raditz on the shoulder.

"Who was in the army, asshole!? I guarantee I know more about strategy than you."

"I'm just saying it's fucking stupid is all. I ain't trying to die after all this."

Feeling eyes on him, Kakarot glanced up and saw Chi-Chi look away hurriedly. He shrugged and looked back down at the menu. He stared long and hard at the words before they began clicking inside his brain. "Tavern. Dine, dance, and be merry. We will be serving ham, eggs-" he paused when the table had grown silent. Chi-Chi, Raditz, and Vegeta were all leaning in close to him. "...What are you guys staring at?"

"Kakarot... Did you just read the menu?"

"I think so."

"You did," Chi-Chi clapped her hands together and gasped. "Kakarot! You can read!"

"I can read!?"

"YES!"

"HELL YEAH!"

The table erupted in cheers as they lifted their glasses up high to clank. The other patrons didn't know what was going on but clapped for them anyway. As Raditz took off Kakarot's hat to give his hair a rough rub, Chi-Chi found herself looking at him again. That unexplainable feeling taking over her completely when he smiled just for her.

* * *

They had reached the outskirts of Sunnybellow.

They were in the outskirts of Sunnybellow.

They were setting up camp in the outskirts of Sunnybellow.

Chi-Chi was a mere morning away from joining the town that would become her permanent home. She had joined Kakarot on a walk while Vegeta and Raditz got their overnight stay set up. She told him she'd be returning his big iron and now they were alone together in the middle of the desert.

Chi-Chi just couldn't take her eyes off of him. Kakarot's new attire made him appear more frightening than he really was. At the same time, she had never felt more attracted to him. It made it worse that he was taking his sweet time taking his big iron from her hand.

"You sure you won't be needing it, darling?"

Feeling weak in the knees, it took her a moment to stammer out a response. He was stroking her hand with his thumb, waiting patiently with that charming smile of his. "Devil's Pass seems wilder than Sunnybellow. I'll feel better if you have it."

Kakarot nodded and placed the gun securely in his holster. His bandolier full of bullets shook as he did so, and the shine of them even against the sunset caused Chi-Chi to gulp. Her uneasy expression didn't go unnoticed by him. "What's wrong, princess? That food from earlier not sitting well with you?"

Chi-Chi sighed and wished that indigestion was her issue. She looked up from his bandolier to his face, unable to hide her frown. "Do you really think you'll be needing all that ammunition? Aren't you just grabbing your father and high-tailing it out of there?"

"Aw, darling. Don't tell me you're worried about little ol' me?"

The teasing tone of his voice didn't make her argue with him like she normally would. This felt serious. She crossed her arms over the black ribbon on her chest and kept her distance to avoid something other than her brain taking over. "I'm done beating the devil around the stump. I heard what you said... back at your mother's place of rest. Did you mean all of that?"

Kakarot's grin faltered, and he didn't know if he should feel embarrassed or curious as to where this conversation was headed. "Of course I did, Chi-Chi. I wouldn't lie on my ma's grave."

Chi-Chi's hands pressed against her beating heart. His eyes and voice were full of truth. "No. Of course, you wouldn't," she breathed in and out slowly. He must have sensed that she was feeling faint. He wrapped one strong arm around her waist and pressed her against him. One hand remained on her heart while another traveled to his chest where his black bandana was resting. "Why do I feel so fearful about this being it?"

His dark brows came together while staring into her large eyes. "What do you mean?"

She blinked her eyes to keep them from watering. The last six months she had been through hell and back repeatedly, never knowing what was coming next. The only part of it that remained a constant was Kakarot and his devotion to her. Tomorrow morning, he would be delivering his promise on getting her to Sunnybellow. He stood up for her against anyone that was a threat. He took care of her at her weakest, and she was with him at his own low point. What it all was sat on the tip of her tongue but she just didn't feel right admitting it.

Chi-Chi decided to ignore the morality against it. So close to him in this moment, Kakarot deserved to hear it after everything. There may never be a second chance.

"I don't want you to leave me."

The variety of emotions his expressions revealed had Chi-Chi blushing hotly at the one he ended on. Only a few inches from her lips now, he was moving his gaze between them and her eyes with each word he husked out. "Why not?"

Her redness deepened at his dark, smooth tone of want and pride. She was always amazed at how he could switch it up from being innocent and sweet to sinful and persuasive. "Because I'll miss you," her voice was quiet from the lack of air she was inhaling. When she swallowed to make it a little louder, it hurt her throat. "I don't want whatever this is between us to end. It's quite ridiculous the way I'm feeling, isn't it?"

"Do you love me?"

She gasped at his hand tightening on her dress as if the touch would give him the answers he wanted to hear. "I...don't know," she finally managed to say. It was hard to focus between the sensation of his fingers strumming against her and her face burning up. "Given more time I could feel that way. Perhaps seeing you not dressed in bullets."

"Would you prefer me in a wedding suit?"

"Kakarot," she whined slightly. She wanted to pull back, but she was glued to him. "I can't even begin to imagine a future like that with you when you want to cash in at Devil's Pass! I admit I'm sweet on you but I'm not going through losing someone else again."

The Saiyan breathed through his nose and kept his face neutral. His voice wasn't as confident as before but still gruff enough to make her burn. "You know I have to do this. It's what I had planned from the start a year before I met you. You've done a lot to me, darling, but you ain't keeping me from my pops."

He didn't say it cruelly, but it still hurt. "I know," she stared at his bandana as her eyes dropped. "I wish you could stay with me in Sunnybellow after but I know a whole bee of folks are going to want your head. Why does it have to be so troublesome?"

"Look at me, Chi-Chi."

When he switched to that commanding tone, it was hard for her to resist. Her eyes flickered back up but she had to bend her head back slightly due to his intense closeness. "What?"

"It don't have to be. If your little town doesn't suit you like you figured, there's a little river near the border to the southernmost country if you follow the trail down. I'll find you there and we can have a life somewhere new."

This again. Too entranced by him, she didn't want to shoot down his convoluted scheme. "And if I don't go there?"

"Then you'll break my heart," he smiled sadly but didn't put any distance between them. "But it'll let me know I did something great for you to get you to a place you want to call home. You'll be happy, and that's enough for me."

Somehow, she knew her sweet cowboy meant that. "I believe our story ends here, mister. I can't see us getting what we both want."

"Right," his smile turned into a smirk as her eyes widened. Kakarot was looking at her like she was his last meal before greeting his creator. "Meet me by Tortoise Creek if you change your mind, darling."

Twilight was forming in the sky as the sun was setting behind a mountain. A brilliant mixture of red, purple, and orange with a sprinkle of stars was creating an atmosphere that was as intense as the way they were looking at one another. The desert breeze created a haze of dust underneath them as Chi-Chi found the courage to ask him the only question that lingered now.

"Are you gonna kiss me or not, cowboy?"

"You askin' or tellin'?"

"What do you think?"

Kakarot growled lowly and dug his nails into her dress. Her heart began racing as he lowered his head to reach her lips. She was inhaling his scent, a mixture of fresh clothing and her homemade beard oil, so deeply it was making her see more stars than what was in the sky. When his hand slipped to her bottom and his large hand gave it a squeeze, she parted her mouth to scold him but the taste of him silenced all thoughts she had. Her senses began to unfurl. The body his hands were exploring while distracting her with a kiss was tingling all over.

"Kakarot," she moaned quietly when his lips traveled to her neck and stopped there. "If you want to touch a woman the way you're doing, you better have the decency to ask permission first."

With one hand on her ass and one fixing to run up her ribs to her breasts, the Saiyan paused to bring his eyes back to her own. "Sorry darling," he chuckled nervously and his voice was sincere. "You know you make my brain stop working and it don't help that you're looking so beautiful. Do you want me to stop?"

"No," her cheeks reddened even more at her blatant honesty. "Just calm down a little, okay?"

Kakarot grinned at her acceptance and put his lips against her ear. "Yes ma'am," he whispered. "I had a feeling you liked a slow hand."

Before she could get another word in, Kakarot claimed her mouth again more hungry and intense. His hands massaged her lower back slow and tenderly, each motion he provided making her grow weak in the knees. Underneath the now moonlit sky filled with glowing lights, Chi-Chi didn't even worry about the chance of Vegeta and Raditz catching them sharing an intimate moment.

He was backing her towards a red boulder, for both privacy and support. They were propped against the structure and glued to one another. Chi-Chi could feel her stomach twisting in knots as Kakarot ran his fingers through her hair, pulling apart her bun and sending the pins and feathers that secured it to the dusty ground. He broke their kiss just to have a chance to admire her.

"Look at you," he sighed while searching the delicate features of her face. He caressed her warm cheek with his thumb while his other arm was struck out against the rock, enclosing her. "Pops always said I should've waited for a girl like you. I can't wait to marry you, darling."

Chi-Chi knitted her brows together but kept her voice soft from the weakness in her body. The handsome face she was staring back at was so loving and innocent. "Kakarot...That's just not going to happen. Not this way."

His grin never faltered. In fact, it only grew wider as she squirmed in his presence. "When we leave this country, I'm going to be the man you deserve to have. I promise. All you need to do is wait for me."

"Not happening," she repeated herself only this time it was full of doubt. "We're done after this."

Kakarot shook his head and gave her a sweet, short kiss on the lips. Once her eyes fluttered open after they separated, he spoke to her softly. "I love you, Chi-Chi. One day you'll say it back and that's when I'll finish what we started here," he kissed her forehead next and rested his lips there while he said his next words darkly. "Then I'll give it to ya a lifetime after that."

She released a snarl and punched his chest. It made her angrier that he didn't even budge or wipe that filthy smirk off his face. "I can't believe I let such an indecent man kiss me! You should be ashamed of yourself for being so vulgar!"

"Ain't that what husbands and wives do?"

"Yes, but I'm not your wife yet so don't-" she stopped herself and he raised his eyebrows at the same time they realized what she had said. "Wait, no! You got me all frazzled!"

"Oh! Yet, huh!?" Kakarot licked his lips and then laughed at her face being redder than it ever had been before. "That was a mighty quick change of heart, princess. Thinking about all the fun we could have together?"

"NO!" Chi-Chi huffed and took another jab at him, which only made him laugh harder. "This is precisely why we'd never get married! You're just a dirty-minded brute! You're the one with the sinful thoughts!"

Kakarot kissed her forehead and kept his grin even when she growled. "All that I picture in my head is far from sinful. I see you right by side as we build a home. I can see you holding my hand in our white outfits after leaving the church. I can see you being so proud of me like you were when I read that book. Is that so bad?"

Chi-Chi's features softened, at last, being reminded of his loving words at Gine's grave. "N-No, I suppose not. What else are you thinking?"

"Oh, I dunno. I don't wanna spoil it for ya."

"Tell me."

Thinking it would be sweet, she clasped her hands together and brought her ear to him for whispers of more lovely words. He chuckled at her action and spoke close and warmly. "If you must know, I was thinking about those legs of yours wrapped around me while I hold you up against this here rock. But that sort of thing should come after the wedding, don't ya think?"

Chi-Chi inhaled sharply and began backing herself towards the rock without realizing it. Kakarot was stalking after her, once again switching it up to his hidden self he only seemed to reveal to her. He quickly placed a hand behind her head before it smacked into the dusty stone. "You're too big for your chaps," she managed to rasp out. "Do you really dream that impurely of me?"

"I try hard not to," he scratched the back of her head with his gloved hands. He kept his mouth straight although his pupils were dilating listening to her groan quietly. "You make it awfully challenging, darling. But anything worth having is worth waiting for so I don't mind waitin'."

She didn't know if it was the uncertainty of what might happen to Kakarot within the next few days or desert stars shining brightly just for them, but something was calling out to her to give her cowboy a proper goodbye. With his hand still wrapped up in her long hair, Chi-Chi pressed her lips against his. Shivers of pleasure and panic shot through her entire body as he deepened their kiss with his tongue. Her hands that were on his chest slid down to his untucked shirt and slipped underneath the thick material. She gasped into his mouth as she felt the warm, toned skin.

Kakarot's hands went to her hips and he lifted her up as if she weighed nothing at all. She wrapped her legs around him instantly, making his dreams come true. He set her against the rock hiding them from the others. There was howling of coyotes on the hunt picking up in the distance but their lips remained sealed as if they couldn't get enough of each other. The position she was in had made her dress and everything under it bunch up so her underwear was the only material keeping her covered. She could feel his large gun rubbing against her inner thigh. Fully secure between the rock and the cowboy's hold, she let her hands roam all over him starting with his shoulders.

It wasn't until her fingers traveled down to his belt loop that he finally broke their kiss to breathe. "Chi-Chi... I don't think you want that."

"Maybe I do."

Kakarot's gaze quickly shifted upward from her lips that muttered the words to her eyes that were full of want. The black bow on her chest that had gotten loose in the process heaved up and down. By his frown, it was clear that something was bothering him. "Are you afraid I'm gonna bite the ground?"

Chi-Chi was standing on weak knees now after Kakarot lowered her back down. "Why does that matter?"

"That's the only reason you're doing this," he sighed and pulled her back in for a loving hug, arms tightly around her back. He put his chin on top of her head and swayed them underneath the moonlight. "I'm gonna marry you and do it the right way."

"What made you change your mind?" she didn't mean to, but her voice came out hurt and a little louder than before. Her frown was matching his own as she glanced up at him. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Not at all," he grinned and pinched her nose to make her smile return. He let her go so he could fix her bow. "I know a lot has changed for you, darling, but I don't want your virtue being ruined. If you end up finding a sweep boy in Sunnybellow to marry instead of me, you'll regret this."

Chi-Chi blinked at the neatly tied black ribbon on her chest and then back up at Kakarot. He was always too good to her, especially during a moment of weakness. What he was saying made a lot of sense, she knew this. But she couldn't deny she was slightly disappointed. "Oh, I see. Thank you. It would be quite shameful admitting it to my husband," Chi-Chi double checked to make sure her dress was smooth all the way down to hide her boots. "What happened to you being so confident in marrying me?"

"It hit me seeing that pretty dress of yours ruined just how different you and I are," Kakarot's smiled sadly as he traced the side of her warm face with the back of his hand. She leaned into it. "I ain't the smartest one in the bunch, but I understand how life goes. I'll always love you though, darling. No matter what."

Chi-Chi couldn't stop her tears from forming and then falling down her cheeks. A few soaked into Kakarot's knuckles. Her trembling hands shot up to hold his face and she kissed him multiple times on his lips, cheeks, chin, any inch she could cover. All the pecks she was giving him were short and sweet, and it made him smile widely.

There was a chance that she loved him, too.

With the sign for Sunnybellow just a mere few miles away, she still had twelve hours until daybreak to let him know.

* * *

After Kakarot had helped Chi-Chi get her hair all neat and tidy once more, they walked hand in hand back to where Vegeta and Raditz were getting roostered. Raditz lowered the bottle from his lips and eyed the two up and down as they sat.

"Must've had a hog-killin' time taking a piss," the older brother scoffed. "You got a few loose buttons there, Casanova."

The youngest of the Saiyans blushed and looked down to see his untucked shirt was open at the bottom where Chi-Chi's hands were searching. Before he could fix it, Chi-Chi did it for him and sent the surprised Raditz a glare as she slipped the thick material inside his pants. She spoke to him with her fingers still lingering on his holster.

"And yet even a hot mess he still looks better than both of you combined."

While the drunk Saiyans cat called and whistled, Chi-Chi rolled her eyes and brought her attention back to him. She reached up to smooth down his collar and then licked her thumb to remove a dirt smudge that had somehow gotten on his nose. The tender actions made him want to get her back against that rock. It took everything within him to not let what they had going continue.

He took both her hands in his once more and gestured towards the crate of whiskey with his head. "Whaddya say about a celebratory drink?"

"What are we celebrating? You haven't saved your father yet."

"No, but I got ya to Sunnybellow didn't I?"

"Yeah," she smiled warmly and ignored the other men airing their lungs. "You kept your promise."

"I always do," Kakarot kissed her hand while Vegeta and Raditz awed at the sight of them. "Get yourself comfortable. I'll bring a bottle over."

Chi-Chi's smile never left her even when he did. He could feel his heart doing all sorts of leaps and bounds knowing it was meant for him. She was a rose among thorns. He found himself running instead of walking to get back to her. As close as they were at Dr. Brief's house, Kakarot sat beside her while twisting the cap off the bottle. The strong stench of liquor made Chi-Chi turn her nose away in disgust.

"I'm never going on a bender again after that night at Aces. Will you drink it for me?"

"Are you sure?" Kakarot offered quietly, but Vegeta's slurred voice overpowered his when coming out at the same time.

"She survived a trip with the Saiyans but doesn't have the stones to take a swig!" the leader slammed his empty bottle down and shoved Raditz to get him another one. "I'm disappointed in you, girl."

While she growled, Kakarot took a small sip and then chuckled. "Now don't pressure the poor thing, Vegeta. She's not much of a drinker."

"You hear that, boss?" Raditz whistled lowly while giving him his new bottle. He sat down beside him holding his own. "What does that sound like to you?"

"Like the wobblin' jaw of a couple of pussies!"

While they howled, Kakarot and Chi-Chi narrowed their eyes. They glanced at one another knowingly before the Saiyan challenged the cackling hyenas. "Alright, varmints. You two against us. Whoever drinks the most wins," Kakarot whispered to Chi-Chi when she whined his name. "Don't worry, darling. I'll do all the dirty work."

"Ah ah ah," Vegeta wagged his finger with his free hand. "We all get our own bottle. You're not cheating your way out of this one, clown."

Kakarot turned to see if Chi-Chi wanted to back out, but had nearly forgotten how competitive she could be. She held a bottle high up over her head now returning to the Saiyans. She appeared more uneasy than confident, but she removed the cap with gusto. "On the count of three?" she asked Vegeta with an arched eyebrow, making him smirk and Kakarot widen his eyes.

He had a feeling this would be a repeat of her first time, resulting in dirty conversation and inappropriate groping. As much as he'd enjoyed it, she'd be embarrassed to know it happened with others around.

"Chi-Chi, why don't you-"

It was too late. The two enemies started to down the liquor at the sound of Raditz shouting 'three'. Chi-Chi held her nose so she wouldn't taste the strong whiskey while Vegeta drank it like water. Raditz was already too drunk to join in, missing his mouth each time he tried. Kakarot found his own bottle being removed from his hand by his young teacher as she continued on. It didn't take long before it hit her system. Immediately after downing the second bottle, she released it all and the food she had eaten earlier onto the ground.

Vegeta smashed his third bottle onto the ground and crushed the shards with the bottom of his boot in celebration of his victory. "You two are perfect for each other! Never thought there'd be someone with as low of tolerance as you!"

"Shut up, Vegeta!" Kakarot snapped as he continued to laugh. He bent down to rub Chi-Chi's back while her body was doing its best to remove the toxins. "Oh, darling. We might need to change you out of that dress sooner than you thought."

Chi-Chi heaved for a little longer to see if anything else was coming up. When she felt like it was all over, she swung her head to where Kakarot's face was. She was unable to control her expression and the largest grin he'd ever seen her wear appeared.

"I'll always let you undress me, cowboy."

"Oh god..." Kakarot chuckled nervously and made sure his brother hadn't heard what she mumbled. He was too fixated on the fact his bottle had emptied without him having any to drink. "Why don't you come sit by the fire with me?"

She reached her arms out to him and squeezed the empty air. "Carry me."

Kakarot took a deep breath and lifted her up like she was his bride. She kicked her legs wildly and kept her arms around his neck, giggling like a madwoman as he brought her to their resting spot.

"You're so strong," she buried her nose into his blushing cheek. "I bet you could just rip this dress off me."

"Chi-Chi!" Kakarot whispered, noticing that Vegeta and Raditz were now paying attention to them. He didn't want them of all people to know how much of a dirty bird she was. "You ever heard of the quiet game before?"

"Nooo...what is it?"

Kakarot brought them to the ground. They had laid the saddles out earlier to use as support for sleeping. He put his head back and she laid down beside him, snuggling into his chest. "You just lay right here and fall asleep. Sound good?"

"Mmmm," her whiskey scented breath could be detected even when she spoke into his shirt. "What do I get if I win?"

"What would you like?"

"Fuck me."

"Go to sleep!"

"But will you-"

"YES, I'LL FUCK YOU! NOW GO TO SLEEP!" Kakarot's voice came out much louder than he intended it to be, and his flustered face garnered the full attention of the Saiyans who wwew smirking. Chi-Chi cheered to herself and quickly dozed off with his protective arm keeping her safe, blissfully unaware of anything going on.

"Not very subtle, are you?"

"Please don't start Vegeta," Kakarot groaned and threw his head back, wanting to look at the stars instead of them. "She gets crazy with the hooch. She don't know what she's yarning about most of the time."

Vegeta shrugged and rested his back against his own saddle. "Bulma gets that way as well. I'd suggest you learn to enjoy it rather than be ashamed."

"He's right little brother," Raditz hiccuped while settling down. He stretched his legs out and placed his large arms behind his head, mimicking Vegeta. "The best sex comes from the bottom of the bottle."

"The women you fellas are with are a lot different from Chi-Chi," Kakarot quickly defended his statement before Vegeta could think about shooting him. "No offense to Bulma! It's just Chi-Chi's more on the reserved side while Bulma's... what's that word you say to her? Vulgar?"

Vegeta relaxed a little after Kakarot watched himself from insulting her. "It's fair to say you have a little angelica on your hands. I reckon she's that marriage-only type."

"Kakarot's going through the greatest lengths imaginable just to lay her down," Raditz snickered when a bottle was thrown at his head. "I'm jokin'! Everyone knows how you feel. What the fuck's taking so long to ask? She leaves in the morning."

The outlaw looked down at her face and smiled sadly. "That's exactly why I haven't asked her. I definitely talked about it. I know she'll really love me if she meets me at Tortoise Creek. I'll ask her to be my wife after I cleaned myself up and start over. I'm even thinkin' about changing my name. That's how bad I've got it."

"Get the fuck out of here!" Raditz laughed. "You barely learned how to write the name 'Kakarot'. Whatcha gonna be learning next?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead," Kakarot fumed and glared up at the night sky. "Just wait and see. I'm going to make everyone proud with my new name."

Vegeta began digging in his pocket for his last cigarette, feeling the familiar itch to light one up. Once he did, he spoke through the exhalations. His voice oozed sarcasm. "Yeah, and I'll be the father of twins."

The men had grown silent when Chi-Chi began to stir, wondering if their laughter had awoken her. She tossed and turned a few times before getting herself comfortable again. When her lips found his cheek, she gave him a simple kiss.

"Kakarot," her eyes opened slightly as she moved her head to see his face. "I love you."

As quickly as she said it, she had fallen asleep again. In a state of shock at her drunken confession, Kakarot's eyes shot in the direction of the Saiyans to see if they heard it too. Raditz dropped his empty bottle to the ground while Vegeta nodded his head in approval.

"It's about fucking time."


	18. What It Gives, What It Takes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chi-Chi says her farewells and Krillin pays a visit to Bulma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Green_Riot for being my beta! That's right, y'all! Hopefully, the grammar mistakes end here as we close this story up!

"Ow..."

Chi-Chi held onto her head as she sat up. The scent of alcohol filled her nostrils the same moment she noticed all the empty bottles surrounding the sleeping Saiyans. The rising sun painted the sky a mixture of orange and purple. The beauty of it caused her to temporarily disregard the hangover. She would never in her life get tired of seeing the beautiful western skies.

Thinking of beautiful things, Chi-Chi glanced down at Kakarot. His left hand was on his chest holding his hat while his left arm was laying flat on the ground, where just moments ago it was being used as Chi-Chi's pillow.

Even with the drool dripping down his chin, the man still made her heart swoon.

"You look like you could use some coffee."

"AH!" Chi-Chi held her hand to her chest to calm the rapid breathing after being frightened by the gruff voice. Her eyes narrowed on the culprit. "I thought you were asleep!"

Vegeta smirked and propped himself up against his saddlebag. His confidence never faltered despite being in a slink. "I was dying to see your face after last night."

"Last night...?" Chi-Chi's mind started to wonder what he was referring to, but then she winced as her pain reminded her. The two bottles she had drunk were still nearby. "Ugh. I'm afraid to ask what happened."

As Vegeta stood up, bottles that had been on his lap broke into shards. He stretched and yawned before smacking his dried lips together. "Nothing to get your little feather ruffled up about. Mind fetching the beans?"

Chi-Chi double-checked to be sure the feather he was referring to was still in her bun. She could feel that her hair had gotten loose overnight, but the accessory managed to stay put. She stumbled a little as she walked which earned a snort from Vegeta. Ignoring him, Chi-Chi gathered what was needed to make a cup of some six-shooter skink.

"You better not make it taste like black water this time!" she called over her shoulder. "That was just plain awful!"

"Fuck you," Vegeta was restarting the fire from last night as she came back with the coffee beans and pan for boiling them. "This ain't no inn."

Once the coffee was made and served, Chi-Chi had to add a lot of sugar to hers before it could even remotely be considered drinkable. She took little sips while Vegeta poured his down his throat. Her fingers tapped against her mug trying to remember last night. She blushed hard and glanced at the dark liquid in her cup. Kakarot's hands had been all over her, and vice versa. But none of that continued after...

Right...?

"Vegeta?"

"Hn?"

"Are you sure nothing happened last night? Or are you being an asshole like usual?"

The outlaw chuckled darkly while refilling his mug. He never took his eyes off her as he drank. "You might've told him you loved him. Nothing major."

The drink Chi-Chi had taken went flying forward as she spit it up. She dropped the mug and what remained inside of it to the ground as Vegeta continued his mocking laughter. "What!?" her face was as red as a summer's sun. "You're lying! Why would I ever say that?"

"Because you do?" Vegeta stopped laughing so he could glare at her with seriousness in his voice. "Please don't start this shit again. Just accept what you know is true and move on. We don't need a depressed Kakarot going into battle."

Battle. Chi-Chi's thoughts went immediately to the bullets Kakarot wore around his body and put the embarrassing exchange behind for a moment to question the Saiyan leader. "Is Devil's Pass really going to be that bad?"

Vegeta finished his second cup and waved the empty mug around as he spoke. "It ain't going to be a picnic, but those bozos better count the lucky stars they have an ace in the hole."

Chi-Chi reached a hand up to scratch the back of her head, both because it was itchy and she was confused. "Ace in the hole?"

"They have an experienced army man on their side," Vegeta gestured to himself with a thumb confidently and held his chin high. "Been shot twice now and I know how to devise a plan under pressure. Come hell or high water, I'll get them what they want."

"I'm starting to realize now that you've got nine lives," Chi-Chi sighed. She still didn't feel good about it. "You know Kakarot wants to meet me at this river called Tortoise Creek? What happens if I wait there and he never shows up because-"

"Let me stop you right there, girl. Ever hear the phrase 'every negative thought is a down payment on your failure'? The more you throw it out there the more you're fucking it up for us. Have some blind faith for once in your life."

Chi-Chi blew air up to her bangs. They were getting so long to the point she could part them to the sides if she wanted to. She always hated to admit Vegeta was right, but Kakarot's survival rested in his hands. Maybe some positive thinking wouldn't be so bad. After a while of standing side by side with her enemy overlooking the town of Sunnybellow in the distance, Chi-Chi thought of something else.

"You're not going to that river, are you?"

"Hell no. I'm taking my family to a northern country. Someplace where the summers aren't one hundred and twenty degrees."

It was strange hearing him say the words 'my family'. Chi-Chi cocked an eyebrow. "But you're willing to deal with negative degree winters for months on end?"

"I'd take that over the heat any day."

"You're crazy."

"Says the certified nutjob."

Chi-Chi fought back a smile as Vegeta smirked. As much as she hated him, she was beginning to see tiny glimpses of why Bulma fell in love with him. "Since you're not going, I might consider meeting him there."

"You weren't before?"

Chi-Chi bit her lip, deciding not to say anymore to him. She didn't owe him an explanation, but she did owe herself one. Was she really going to head to that creek instead of staying in the place she and Daddy talked about for years? A place where a job and home were already established for her? As she became lost in her questions, she felt two strong arms wrap around her tightly from behind. It was so natural to adjust herself into him.

"Mornin' darling," his gravelly voice yawned into her ear as he rested his chin on her shoulder. "Did you sleep well?"

She could feel her heart swell at his presence. She held onto the arms that were keeping her in place. "I think I was by your side all night. Does your head hurt as bad as mine?"

"Mmm, nope! I didn't have a single lick. You drank my bottle before I had the chance."

Chi-Chi blushed, remembering what Vegeta told her she confessed. She glanced over to see the leader of the Saiyans was kicking Raditz awake and was out of earshot. She spun around so she could look at Kakarot's face. It was stubbly and sleepy, but still so handsome. "Did I tell you that I loved you last night?"

Kakarot's smile became nervous, afraid of what she was going to say. "You sure did. Did you not mean it?"

She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. She now truly believed that expression of drunken minds speaking sober hearts. The whiskey gave her the words she had been searching for. "No, I meant it. I just wanted to tell you one more time before I leave."

Kakrot flashed all thirty-two teeth and lifted her up high in a bear hug. He spun her around until she told him it was making her dizzy. "Sorry darling," he laughed while lowering her back to the ground. His nose and forehead were touching hers in a moment of innocent intimacy. "You've just made me the happiest man in the world."

"I love you, but I can't lie either," she breathed in once more and held onto his shoulders. "If Sunnybellow is the better choice for me to live, I'm going to stay."

The outlaw's smile never faltered. It was as if he knew something she didn't. Almost as if he lived through this all before in another lifetime. "If I lose you for good, aren't I a lucky man to have been loved by you at some point?" Kakarot kissed her forehead and spoke into it. "You'll always be my darling."

Chi-Chi could hear Raditz behind her throwing an empty bottle at Vegeta for waking him up. The sound of the Saiyans fighting and cursing couldn't take her mind off the fact that they had to separate soon if the gang was going to get to the prison by nightfall. Her eyes watered and she could feel the familiar painful lump in her throat knowing the goodbyes were coming.

"Can you tell me about San Mariposa?"

"San Mariposa?" Kakarot pulled away and tilted his head, trying to remember when he told her about that place. "How'd you know that name?"

"Vegeta mentioned it when we saw your mom. He said that's where you're trying to go?"

Kakarot blushed crimson, not even knowing Vegeta cared so much about their late-night drunk conversations with one another. "Oh, that. I dunno if it's true or not, but Raditz said when he was little before I was born there was this old man that lived with them. Apparently, he sent a letter to the ranch after Pops was put in the hoosegow saying how much he missed him and that he wanted the family to visit San Mariposa."

"Oh," Chi-Chi's eyes widened. "I didn't know you actually had family in that country. I thought this plan was just pulled out of where the sun doesn't shine."

"Aw princess you gotta give me more credit than that," Kakarot laughed at her terminology. "There's a reason behind everything we've done. I'm just hoping it all works out now because I don't think I could recover seeing my pops hanging from a noose. I'll have them shoot me dead right there."

"Sake's alive, Kakarot!"

"But that won't happen!" Kakarot smiled nervously and added in a short chuckle before tightening his hold. "We'll all be fine."

"So long as everything goes according to plan."

"Right."

Chi-Chi sighed and looked down at the bow on her chest. God, was there anything this man couldn't do!? After a drunken night of tossing and turning, the bow he tied never came undone. She brought her eyes back up to him again to see he was staring at the town with a frown on his face. "Hold on a second, Kakarot. Is that old man your grandfather?"

"Something like that. Why?"

"Is your family not originally from the states?" Chi-Chi asked with excitement, not judgment, in her eyes. It would explain why he kept his tan all winter long bundled up in layers.

Kakarot just shrugged his shoulders. "Pops ain't like to talk much about his past, but I know he lived where the Battle of The Monument took place. He said one day he was just part of the states against his will. Crazy huh?"

"Wow," Chi-Chi's eyes continued to glisten. How amazing it must be to know someone that lived through something like that. Kakarot's father had to be a well-rounded man. "Did he ever teach you any words in his language?"

"Mmm let's see," Kakarot let go of her so he could count on his fingers all the words he recalled his father using. "There was cabron, pendejo, pinche idiota... Sometimes he'd whisper things to Ma that made her smile real hard. But that's about all I'd hear."

"What does pendejo mean?"

"I think boy or son? He said it a lot to us when trying to teach us how to do something."

Caught in a daydream, Chi-Chi closed her eyes to imagine life in San Mariposa with Kakarot and the possibility of her own little pendejos. If there was a chance Bardock came with them, he would be able to teach her his native tongue and she'd definitely be able to school children in another language. Was this all part of Kakarot's scheme, too?

"Darling?"

Chi-Chi opened her eyes to see Kakarot was waiting for her to come back to him. She shook her head to rid any thoughts of a future yet to happen. "I hope I get to meet your father, someday."

Kakarot grabbed her face and kissed her softly because of her compliment. When he separated from her, her cheeks were as pink as her dress. "You will. Just give me a week."

Chi-Chi was going to tell him more, but Vegeta's voice interrupted any chance she had.

"Grab yourself some coffee, loverboy. We need to get back on the trail."

The woman stepped aside for Kakarot to get his wake-up juice as he smiled apologetically to her. She sighed heavily and went to the stagecoach to find Raditz removing some supplies from the back. He dropped a box of cans by her feet and looked up at her.

"Hey, Teach. Just emptying out the stagecoach for you. Think you'll be needing any of this stuff?"

"I might," Chi-Chi's cheeks remained red from Kakarot's kiss and now the embarrassment of admitting she had no idea if she was going to be on her own waiting for the cowboy to return. "I don't know yet."

Raditz scrunched his eyebrows together and paused his removal of another box. "You meeting us at Tortoise Creek then?"

"...I don't know."

The older brother scoffed and cracked his back on both sides. "Well, Teach," he yawned. "You held up your end of the bet and got Kakarot to read. You're now an honorary Saiyan. How does it feel?"

"Criminal."

Raditz laughed and slapped Chi-Chi on the back, causing her to stumble forward. "Glad to see that sense of humor never faded. Here. I'll go ahead and leave you with most of this shit in case you join the Son family."

"...Son family?"

"That's our last name."

"Oh," Chi-Chi blinked her long eyelashes. "That's unique." _Chi-Chi Son. Mrs. Son._ She liked that.

"Yeah just don't go blabbing your mouth to everyone," Raditz warned with a frown but then cracked a grin when he caught her stuck in another daydream. "Thinking 'bout what your name will sound like after you marry my little brother, eh?"

Flustered, Chi-Chi smacked his leather-clad chest. "No! Don't be ridiculous!"

"Whatever," Raditz rolled his eyes and flicked her hand away from him. Kakarot and Vegeta were heading towards them with the remainder of the supplies. All the loaded saddlebags had been put on the horses, and the animals were raring to go. "Looks like this is where we say goodbye. What are ya gonna miss the most about me?"

"Definitely not that hair," she shuddered. "Not even mine ended up in the food."

Raditz laughed and gave her a quick embrace. "Don't forget whether you're a Saiyan or a Son, we got your back."

After hugging him back, Chi-Chi thanked him and then brought her attention to Vegeta. The act of embracing one another would make them both vomit their coffee up. They exchanged a simple nod with one another, and Vegeta left wordlessly to get on his horse. The only one left was Kakarot. Chi-Chi released a ragged breath and took her cowboy by the hands.

"Promise me you'll keep yourself alive."

"Yes ma'am."

"I want to hear you say it."

Kakarot's eyes always contained a spark of want when she spoke in a demanding tone. He massaged her hands with his thumbs. "I promise I'll stay alive, darling. Can you make me a promise now?"

She was unsure of what it would be, but she nodded her head anyway. "What is it?"

"Promise me you'll choose what makes you the happiest."

Chi-Chi kissed both his hands and then placed them on her hips so he could hold her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hoped he could see the truth in her eyes. "I promise."

She surprised him by pulling him down to her, any remaining words lost against her mouth. He was kissing her carefully, but that's not what she wanted for what could very well be their final moment together. She knotted her fists in his shirt and pulled him harder against her. He groaned low in his throat and pushed her against the side of the stagecoach, still kissing her.

"Alright, alright, break it up horned toads. You had a chance to do this all night and blew it."

They had forgotten Raditz was still standing there. Both blushing at the hot and bothered way their action had made them, they separated and kept eye contact off the blocker nearby.

"Sorry," he chuckled into her neck before kissing it softly. "I reckon he's still pissed I ruined his night at that gold stream months ago. We'll finish this when I come back in a week."

Despite all the loving she was receiving, Chi-Chi frowned and looked at her cowboy. "Kakarot," her voice was so full of sadness that it got his attention immediately. "I have to go now before this gets harder for me. Can you let me go?"

Not wanting to do it but knowing it was for the best, Kakarot released her and placed his arms at his sides. He watched her get into the stagecoach and wipe her arms with the back of her hand before smiling sadly at him.

"So long, cowboy."

"Goodbye, darling."

Chi-Chi didn't know what else to do so she blew him a kiss. Once he put a hand on his chest as if he had caught it, Chi-Chi rode off towards Sunnybellow in her father's stagecoach just like she had planned on six months prior. It took everything she had not to look back at the one person she knew she'd love for the rest of her days.

* * *

It was ironic to her that a place that was literally her home felt nothing like it.

She stopped the stagecoach under a tree adjacent to the large structure. She had followed the street directions her father gave her when he bought the property. The house was beautiful and painted a blue and white combination. It was big like Daddy promised it would be.

But it all felt so hollow.

Chi-Chi climbed off the stagecoach and didn't know what to do. She didn't have the keys and wasn't sure where to go to receive them. If they weren't somewhere near the front door, she would most likely need to go to the town hall which she didn't feel up to at the moment. She noticed her legs shaking more with each step she took to the door. She hadn't even gotten to the stairs when the door opened up to reveal a short, old woman.

"...Chi-Chi? Do my eyes deceive me?"

Recognizing the voice instantly, Chi-Chi's lips quivered and she ran to where the woman was. She dropped to her knees and hugged her tightly while crying tears of joy. "Baba! What are you doing here!?"

Baba hugged her back, equally teary-eyed, but looked at her like she was a ghost after pulling back. "Me? What about you? Everyone thinks you're dead."

Chi-Chi sniffed while narrowing her eyes in confusion. "What? Why?"

"Oh dear..." Baba wiped a tear away using her long black sleeve. "A group of men found your father's helmet and a ton of blood out in the wild on the trail you two started on. Everyone figured you were ambushed for your belongings and they killed you as well. But now that I see you're alive, perhaps you can shed some much-needed light on what's happened?"

Chi-Chi wasn't sure why, but she felt the need to protect Kakarot and keep the Saiyan part of her adventure quiet. It felt awful lying to the woman who was her nanny since birth, yet she did it with ease. "We were ambushed and Daddy was killed, yes. But I survived and got myself out here."

Baba looked at the young woman incredulously. All the years of raising her, she knew what a spoiled princess she was. "All by yourself?"

Chi-Chi was sweating. "Yes."

"Really? You?"

"Yes!" Chi-Chi snapped and then composed herself when Baba was taken aback by it. "I'm sorry. It's been quite the journey. Can I take a look at my house now?"

Baba smoothed her dress down when Chi-Chi was standing up. There was something different about Ox's daughter that was slightly alarming. "Well, I-"

"Hey... What are you doing here anyway? I thought Daddy left the estate back north for you to live in."

"He did, and I do," Baba coughed and rubbed the back of her neck. This was going to be awkward. "Sweetheart, when news broke out that your father had passed the man he sold the property to was notified through the telegraph. He then sent a message out to the next in line of his will. It would've been you, but since they assumed you were dead, it became me."

Chi-Chi took in her words and nodded slowly at each one, trying her best to understand and not liking where the conversation was headed. "And now...?"

"And now," Baba sighed and opened the door wide to let Chi-Chi inside. "He gave me the option to sell the home to another family for the same price or let him handle it for a much lower cost. I decided to sell it and it's someone else's home. I got on the train here to watch it for them while they attend a public hanging at Devil's Pass."

Chi-Chi's face paled at the mention of the prison. "That's just sickening what people do for entertainment. How could you sell Daddy's home to such hideous assholes?"

At the stinging of her voice, Baba raised an eyebrow. This definitely wasn't the same girl. "Honey, I insist you come inside and sit down for a while. I made tea. You can tell me about the adventure you had."

Chi-Chi was hesitant, but her stomach was growling. She stepped into the house with her dirty boots still on and felt the knife plunge deeper into her chest looking at the images of the family who had taken over her home. Baba noticed the clenching of her fists and cleared her throat.

"You know, if you really want to we can settle this with the court. You being alive changes everything."

It took her a minute to break contact with the images of the family who would be cheering for the death of Kakarot's father but she somehow managed to do it. She sat down at the table with Baba and blew on the tea before drinking it. These people had already seemed to claim this property as their own. It didn't feel like hers at all.

"Did the school ever contact you?"

"Yes. They hired a replacement," Baba smiled sadly when Chi-Chi began rubbing her temples. "But as I said, we can-"

"What about Daddy's prospectors?"

"Found a new boss, I'm afraid. We can settle everything, Chi-Chi. It's all one big misunderstanding."

Chi-Chi stared at the tea in her cup while her thoughts unraveled. Kakarot was right about everything being planned. Hell, she didn't doubt he contacted all of these people somehow to get her to go to Tortoise Creek instead of staying in Sunnybellow. It was ridiculous to assume, but anything was better than the truth. Her heart wasn't in this place at all.

It was with that no-good, dirty rotten stagecoach stealing outlaw.

"Chi-Chi?"

"Don't worry about it, Baba. I believe the universe has different plans for me now."

Unsure of what she was talking about, Baba laughed nervously and adjusted the collar of her dress. "Well dear, I could always give you all the money for the property once it arrives. It's going to take a few months."

"I don't have that kind of time," Chi-Chi tapped her fingernails against the cup and absentmindedly looked at the flowery details. "I have to meet someone."

"Oh..." Baba couldn't help but feel awful. It was clear she had been through hell. "Could you at least spend a night to get some rest and take a hot bath? It might make you feel better."

Chi-Chi finally looked at her nanny and smiled again. She touched her wrinkled hand that was stretched out across the table to her. "I'd love that."

"What happened, sweetheart? I'm dying to know."

Figuring she could fill her in without explicit details, Chi-Chi began telling her what had happened that fateful day. "A gang attacked us and killed Daddy right away. I was hiding in the boot and was saved thanks to one of the members who is actually very sweet. He stood up for him against the bad guy and promised to get me here. He left me to come into town alone because he had other affairs to attend to."

Baba took a sip of her tea and didn't miss the coy smile and blush the girl gave while talking about this cowboy. "Is he hot?"

"BABA!" Chi-Chi covered her mouth as the women laughed. "...Yes."

They busted up laughing again and Baba wiped a tear away from her eye. "The reason I ask is that you seem so enthralled by him. What would Ox think of him?"

"Uh," Chi-Chi felt ashamed of the question as it was the only thing that bothered her about Kakarot. "The whole bandit situation would upset him despite how much of a gentleman he is. It's kinda why I wasn't too keen on my choice of coming here. Somehow I believe everything always works in that cowboy's favor."

"Mmm," Baba winked knowingly. "Sounds like it's actually working in _your_ favor."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're the feistiest girl in the country and yet you have no fight in you to get what's rightfully yours in Sunnybellow," Baba took another sip of tea but didn't take her eyes off the blushing woman. "You want a different future."

Chi-Chi couldn't believe just how right this woman always was. She had this feeling about the town since they saw it in the distance. Instead of daydreaming of a simple rich life in Sunnybellow, she found herself craving a life of hard work and love in whatever San Mariposa was. After a long day of teaching, she just wanted to fall into the arms of Kakarot inside the home they built together instead of bought.

"I do, Baba. I really do."

After swapping more tales from her journey to the west and keeping names and places confidential, Chi-Chi and Baba shared laughter of happiness and tears of sadness over everything she had experienced. Her former nanny set up a bath for her and even helped her wash her long hair. Chi-Chi was too excited to sleep and spent the entire night staring at the photo of Kakarot's family she had taken from Mrs. Brief. She could easily picture Kakarot in the place of Bardock and herself in the place of Gine. The little Kakarot and Raditz in the photo could be her own little pendejos one day. She kissed her finger and placed it on Kakarot's head, hoping he could feel it from where he was tonight. In the morning, he would be saving his father from his unfair death.

She hadn't done it in a long time, but she felt the strong need to do it now. Chi-Chi rolled off the bed and dropped down on her knees to pray.

"Please keep all those involved tomorrow safe and out of harm's way. We've all suffered so much. Please offer redemption to those who have fought so hard to achieve it, Lord. Especially the Sons. Please give them a happy ending. Amen."

Chi-Chi sniffled and fell back into bed after her prayer had ended. It wasn't too long after she closed her eyes that she awoke to the smell of bacon being cooked. She got dressed in a purple dress that was similar to her pink one and knew she'd buy some pants and other supplies to keep her occupied while she awaited Kakarot at the river.

Baba offered her whatever she knew the current family of the household wouldn't miss and then looked at the woman she practically raised. "Are you sure you have everything you need?"

"Yeah," the young woman smiled gratefully at Baba and gave her a loving embrace before standing upright. "That cowboy I told you about promised he wouldn't keep me long."

"Oh, and you believe this man?"

"Of course I do," Chi-Chi beamed and climbed into her stagecoach that could tell a story all on its own. "He's the best at keeping promises."

* * *

"Are you sure that's the first thing you want to do?"

Krillin placed a hand on the worried Lazuli's thigh while using his other hand to control the horses of their wagon. After Cold's Ridge, he had returned to her at Rose's within the three months he planned. They spent an extra three for Lazuli to get her strength back after giving birth. If the Saiyans had been successful at Devil's Pass, Vegeta would be arriving in less than four.

"Never been so sure about anything."

Lazuli sighed but decided to drop it. She knew Bulma better than her husband did after working for her for so long. She wouldn't utter a word of Vegeta's whereabouts or agree to a set-up. Krillin had been so depressed since returning from the failed mission that she didn't want to make matters worse. The blonde glanced over her shoulder at what was inside the wagon. She smiled warmly at the sight of her daughter sleeping peacefully in the arms of her uncle.

"You two fine back there?"

The man with straight black hair winked his blue eye at her. He had lost complete use of his right arm and had to have it removed due to gangrene. His left arm was strong enough to rock his niece back and forth gently. "We're always fine until she cries. That's when I give her back to you."

Lazuli rolled her eyes but kept her smile. She reached a hand back to gently tug on her daughter's blanket. "I'm more concerned about you than Marron. This is the furthest you've traveled in a long time."

Lapis shrugged and moved the infant with him when he did so. "It's worth it just to get back home. I'm curious to see how badly Yajirobe gunked up the town while we were away."

"Don't remind me," Krillin groaned as the twins laughed. "I didn't have anyone else to put in charge. I just hope the food supply hasn't diminished."

Lazuli brought her attention back to the sheriff and gazed at him admiringly. He had certainly been through hell and back due to the Saiyans. If anyone was the representation of courage, it was her husband. She held the hand that was on her thigh and watched the corners of his eyes crinkle from smiling. "I'm sure whatever's happened, you'll fix it."

Sometimes Krillin couldn't believe just how lucky of a man he truly was. He brought her hand up to kiss gently then shifted his focus on the road ahead. They were in the outskirts of Proudstream and approaching the large building of Aces. Horses and other wagons of wary travelers surrounded the outside of the saloon. The wagon of the family came to a full stop in the only empty section they could find.

"Hey," Lazuli pointed to a familiar-looking white horse with black markings that made it look like it wore boots. "Isn't that Yajirobe's?"

Krillin cursed under his breath and threw the reins down. Instead of protecting the town and being a professional, the lawman he put in charge was drinking booze and hanging with prostitutes. "Figures. I'll be right back. You got your gun just in case?" When Lazuli pointed to the weapon on her hips, her husband sighed and got off the wagon.

The moment he entered through the double doors, there was instant silence. It wasn't just from the majority of the occupants being outlaws, but from the shock of seeing Sheriff Krillin had finally returned to his turf. Some of the men hightailed it out of there before he could identify their faces. The bald man ignored them to settle his eyes on the robust fellow spitting up his tornado juice.

"Oh, uh... Howdy, Krillin!" Yajirobe wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket and coughed before sticking his hand out to shake his old friend's. "I was beginning to think you were killed! Where the hell have you been at!?"

"Clearly doing more than you," Krillin slapped his hand out of the way and soon the conversations picked up again once the patrons realized he wasn't there to arrest anybody. "Where's the Queen of Aces?"

Yajirobe blinked his large eyes underneath his bangs. "Bulma? She's in her room upstairs. Oh!" he snapped his fingers remembering something important. "A message came to you through the telegraph! Something crazy went down at Devil's Pass!"

Having already started his way to the staircase, Krillin froze with his hand on the railing. He had a bad feeling he knew what the message was going to say. "We'll talk after I see her," he spoke as calmly as he could despite hearing the beating of his heart in his ears. "Wait for me."

Without waiting for a response, Krillin ran up the stairs. He nearly tripped before reaching the top. The sheriff paused at the door he knew would contain the woman he was searching for. His fists pounded on the wood loudly. "Bulma! Open up! I need to talk to you about your Saiyan!" He was about to hit the door again when it opened wide to reveal a pissed off woman.

"Could ya stop!? I just put them to sleep!"

Krillin forced himself inside the room and held up a finger to scold her with. "Now I tried being a good friend to you for as long as I could but there comes a time when-" he paused, detecting a familiar scent of talcum powder. He opened his eyes and scanned the room to see a crib beside Bulma's large bed. "Huh...you babysitting?"

"No, loudmouth. They're mine."

"...They're?" Krillin lowered his hand slowly to his side and straightened up while looking the saloon owner up and down. His eyes stopped on her belly which had no indication there was a baby or two who had stretched it out. He went to her face that was worn out and frustrated, but he didn't know if it was because of him or something else. "Wait... Are you trying to tell me...?"

Bulma sighed and gestured towards the crib with the hand that wasn't on her hip. "Yes. Go see for yourself."

Krillin removed his hat to rub his head as if he had any hair to smooth down. He took quiet steps over to where he expected to find tiny Vegetas. Instead, they were little Bulmas. Both of the sleeping infants had tiny blue tufts of hair. They were both swaddled in the same color blanket and it was difficult to tell what their gender was.

"A boy and a girl," Bulma answered for him after joining him. She placed her hands on the crib and smiled down at her babies. "Just as beautiful as me. I named them Trunks and Bulla. I know I'll get my ear chewed off over it not being Vegeta, Jr. or Vegessica."

A pained expression overtook Krillin as he glanced up at Bulma's proud face. "I had no idea you were pregnant that day the shooting happened here."

Bulma held onto her arms and shrugged. "Nobody did except for Kakarot's girl."

Krillin was once again being reminded of everything that had taken the course since these babies were born. "She's part of the reason why I'm here. A group of a few others and I went off to find the Saiyans and that girl-"

"Sake's alive, Krillin!" Bulma fumed and stomped her booted foot down. Trunks opened his eyes for a moment but then slowly shut them when his mother controlled her voice. It was now in a loud whisper. "You're seriously harassing them over a case of dirty dealing!? You know that guy was going to shoot Raditz first-"

"Bulma, Kakarot killed Tien and mutilated Lapis. That girl and Vegeta killed two who were helping me. They're in deep shit."

Bulma put a hand on her chest and used her other to touch Krillin's shoulder. Her anger had completely faded. "Oh no... Not Tien... Why would Kakarot do that? There has to be an explanation."

Krillin shook his head and finally put his hat back on. "Lapis says it was an agreed-upon shootout but that doesn't change the fact they killed a second-in-command. I don't know where the hell Kakarot's going off to, but I know Vegeta's coming here. Does he... does he know?"

"He does so you can wipe that judgmental look off your face!" Bulma snapped and picked up her daughter before she started crying. She patted her tiny back and bounced on her feet to comfort Bulla. She glared at Krillin over the baby's head. "You've got some nerve trying to arrest a man who'll be barely meeting his children. We're leaving this place and never coming back. He's not going to be that way anymore and I have a letter that proves it. I'm really sorry about Tien, but it sounds like your beef's with Kakarot. Can't you just back off?"

She was too blinded by love to realize a man like Vegeta could never change. Krillin hung his head and stared at his boots awhile to avoid the death glare he was receiving from the woman. "I'm letting you know now that if I catch Vegeta here, I'm cuffing him on the spot. No hard feelings against you or your children, but laws are laws and without them, this whole country would run amuck. Understand?"

"Get out," she replied coldly and Krillin did as he was told. The door was slammed behind him the moment he stepped out. He shook his head and went back downstairs to see Yajirobe waiting with a mug in his hand.

"Alright," he took the mug and downed what remained of the brown liquid to prepare himself for the conversation. He smacked his lips and slammed the mug down on the countertop when it was all gone. "What happened at Devil's Pass?"

* * *

_It's difficult for me to put into words what I feel. It kills me to know you don't want our child due to my past mistakes. If you were to go through with the pregnancy, I would change everything about the way I am. I wish to wed you and take you away for a new start far away from what has happened._

_You are my life, my selfishness, my star. I don't ask for anything to be different because I might have never met you. I've been all over this country and have yet to find anything more valuable than you. I love you, Bulma._

After rereading her favorite part of Vegeta's letter for the millionth time, Bulma folded up the paper neatly and placed it back inside the desk drawer. She went back to where the twins were sleeping and took the time she'd normally use for catching up on some rest to admire them instead. Now three months old, Trunks had developed more of a face that resembled his father while Bulla maintained Bulma's appearance. She rested her head on the railing and wished she could somehow capture the cute sounds they made as they snored.

She was thankful she could even hear it. She was expecting Vegeta any time soon and had already begun the process of phasing out Aces. The girls were sent to nearby saloons and brothels for work and the patrons who adored them followed. Once she had gotten rid of the alcohol, that took care of the remainder. She didn't mind living in the big place alone. It was relaxing and she wanted to enjoy it while she had a chance. Her little family would be leaving somewhere new soon.

In the silence, she heard the sound of a familiar knocking on the backdoor where the Saiyans had made multiple escapes. She felt her heart begin to flutter knowing who it was.

"Time to meet Daddy," she whispered excitedly to her sleeping babies. She double-checked herself in the mirror, sucking in her gut as she did a three-sixty. She wasn't as slender as she was prior to the twins, but Vegeta was always more attracted to her face than anything and that maintained its gorgeousness. She smiled at her reflection and left her room to where the knocking was coming from. She opened it widely expecting to see her cowboy king.

"Miss Bulma."

This man wasn't Vegeta. Not even close. He towered above her like a giant and wore a purple suit with a pink tie. His cowboy hat had large horns attached to it, a style that was making her feel uneasy. She had never met this man before in her life, but he knew her name. Feeling her motherly instincts kick in, she shut the door to keep them safe but a white boot struck out to stop it from closing completely. It shoved open and she was brought back into the hallway.

"W-Who are you!?" she swallowed hard while trying to keep her voice calm and strong. She knew where the guns in the saloon were hidden but didn't want to make a move until it was time. "How do you know my name?"

There was more than him entering Aces now. Three more men she didn't recognize. The tall one who knocked on the door smiled viciously watching her tremble. "I go by lots of names but you can call me Cold. Sorry to barge in like this, but Vegeta has to pay a price for what he's done. I've been told you're the only thing he cares about."

After the evil chuckles of the stranger's men ended, faint crying had started upstairs. Bulma's nails dug deep into her palms when the tall man was intrigued by the sound of it.

"Don't you fucking dare!" she growled and stood in front of the staircase. Tears were escaping her as she spoke through clenched teeth. "What do you want? Money? Jewels? You can have it all."

Cold's smirk turned into a deathly snarl as he grabbed Bulma harshly by her hair and threw her to the ground. "You dumb whore," he spat at her then dug his large knee into her chest so she couldn't move. "What Vegeta took can't be replaced by frivolous items. He owes me a life for a life."

"NO!" Bulma reached a hand up wanting to dig her claws into his eyes but screamed at the feeling of two men crushing both her wrists with their boots. Tears continued to roll down her face as her babies were heard crying louder for their mom. She did everything in her power to get up but remained trapped. Her last-ditch effort was to beg with the evil men. "P-Please... Don't hurt them. You can do anything you want to me, but leave them alone..."

"Hmm," Cold got off of her to look at her pinned down body. For an insane second, she really thought he was going to agree. "I'd rather kill both of you. You boys handle her while I go upstairs."

A rush of fear-drenched adrenaline shot through Bulma like a shockwave watching on in horror as the man started ascending the stairs. She broke free from the trap and started chasing after him. She didn't get far before something hit her in the back of the head.

* * *

For some reason, Krillin couldn't sleep that night. He wouldn't stop tossing and turning. Something was telling him to go on an after-dark horse ride, which to anyone but him sounded crazy. Midnight rides were the best because he didn't have to worry about much in the sleepy town except his own thoughts. He kissed Lazuli's forehead and then went to Marron's crib to give her one as well. Both of his girls slept through the sweet gesture and he got dressed in a hurry. Summer was fast approaching and he didn't need much.

He was going to ride in the opposite direction of Aces, but once more that feeling inside him was telling him to head there. Perhaps tonight was the night Vegeta would be returning. Krillin had cuffs in the saddlebag just in case. He rode the horse towards the outskirts of town where Aces rested comfortably on its own. The place didn't look like itself without any patrons.

Krillin narrowed his eyes as he approached, realizing that the backdoor was wide open.

"Easy now, easy now. Let's check this out," Krillin patted his horse's neck before climbing down. He placed his hand on his holster as he got closer. Bulma could be a hot mess at times, but she never left a door wide open. The lanterns from the inside were faint but providing him enough light in the dark as he went inside. He now had his gun raised when bloody footprints were visible.

His voice was full of alarm. "Bulma! You in here!?"

"Krillin..."

The sheriff whipped around with his gun at the voice coming from behind and lowered it when the person who said his name was crawling towards him. "B-Bulma?" his eyes widened at her appearance. Her dress had been torn apart and her face was bruised and swollen. He got down to her level when she mumbled something quietly.

"..Go upstairs...They..."

Seeing her struggle to stay afloat, Krillin helped her lean against a wall and ran up the stairs knowing she was concerned about her babies. When he entered the room that once again had a door wide open, his heart shattered at what he saw.

Only one of the twins was left in the crib, with no sign of the other.

Whoever attacked Bulma had also stolen her daughter.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is all about the Saiyans at Devil’s Pass... hope I can live up to the expectations 🥺 I know this ending was super sad but I promise it’s not the end. Have faith. ❤️


	19. Come Hell or High Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Saiyans begin their rescue of Bardock at Devil's Pass!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to my beta Green_Riot!

Unsure of where he could go, Broly wandered the wilderness solo after his encounter with the Saiyans. An enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders after seeing the dead body of Frieza. He would return around the same spot every now and then to see if the river had frozen yet for the bodies of the lord and Zarbon to float away, but it had remained frozen for quite some time.

When he saw there was no change, Broly paid respects to the graves of Caulifla and Yamcha. He didn't know the desert bandit that well, but he didn't seem like too bad of a guy and certainly shouldn't have died. He felt glum when his eyes settled on Caulifla's. She was always so kind to him and was the only person who believed he didn't kill his father.

After doing the mark of the rosary across his body and kissing his hand in honor of her, Broly got up off his knee and began walking towards where he left his horse. He felt slightly guilty running away from Krillin but knew the sheriff would just end up locking him up again. There was only one place Broly wanted to go and he was unsure if she wanted him around. He was about to get on the saddle when he heard the voice of men coming from the direction of the lake. The large man did the best he could to hide behind a rock and peek upward.

There was a group staring at the bodies that had been left on the ice. Broly's eyes widened when the tallest one began to speak. He had never met him before, but it was clear who he was related to.

"...so, it's true. That ugly little Saiyan killed my son."

Broly ducked down when he saw them turn their heads in his direction. It took a while, but they started to converse again. Broly decided to remain hidden and just listen, only catching bits and pieces.

"What's that place called?"

"Aces."

"That's along with the whereabouts of Proudstream, is it now?"

"That's right, boss. We headed there next?"

"Yes. Time for that bastard to pay."

Broly remained behind the rock until he heard the sound of horses and wagons speeding away. He got up and saw that the rotted bodies had been taken along with them. He didn't know who Vegeta knew about Aces, but with the father of Frieza wanting to go, it had to be bad. Once more, he didn't have the faintest clue where Devil's Pass was, but he knew that's where the Saiyan leader was headed. Feeling like he had to pay him back somehow, Broly got on his horse and continued west in hopes of finding Vegeta before it was too late.

* * *

It was past midnight in the outskirts of Devil's Pass. The Saiyans had arrived just in the nick of time to plan before the morning of Bardock's hanging. There were other members waiting there, setting up camps in different areas with no fire to remain hidden. Kakarot and Raditz were gathered into a group hug with one who had short spikes. "Uncle Tora! It’s been forever!"

"Hell yeah it has!" their father's oldest friend laughed and gave them both a noogie. The act made Kakarot's hat fall off. As he picked it up, Tora looked at him in amazement. "Kid, you look more like your old man each time I see ya. Poor bastard. You got the bad genes."

"Whatever," Kakarot kept his grin knowing how much the man liked to fool around. "I see you're camping over there with a little lady. She your new flame?"

"Fasha? Nah," Tora stuck his tongue out like she disgusted him. "She's too tough for my liking. A real hellcat, but someone you want on your side. I got a few more in my gang. Bowl cut is Shugesh and the large cowpoke beside him is Borgos. We're not as wild as you three, but we get the job done."

As Tora and Raditz continued to share their Saiyan pride, Kakarot frowned and joined the side of Vegeta who had just finished running over his plan with the others. Being their leader and also experienced with this type of thing they had never done before, nobody questioned him. Kakarot always thought it was funny how someone so short could be so intimidating, but he was.

Right now, Vegeta was eyeing the building closest to the prison, seeing it wouldn't be too high to climb.

"See that store?" Vegeta whispered to Kakarot when he sensed him near. "That's where I'll be starting off tomorrow. You know what to do right?"

Kakarot's voice was oddly quiet. "Yeah. Can I talk to you about something while we're alone?"

The leader rolled his eyes and made a face. "I swear if you talk about that woman one more time-"

"No, it's not about Chi-Chi. It's about us. You and me."

The phrasing was earning strange looks and snickers from those who were eavesdropping. Mortified at what possibly could be running through their heads, Vegeta yanked Kakarot by the arm and pulled him away from the others. "What the hell, Kakarot!?" his face was red as he whispered harshly. "What in God's name are you talking about!?"

"I guess I'm just bummed out that I won't be seeing you after this. You're my best friend, you know?" Kakarot sighed and kicked some dirt up with his boot, wondering if he sounded stupid for being sad about it. "I know you don't care, but I always thought of you like a second older brother. I looked up to you since I met ya. I still do even though you're all the way down there now."

Vegeta's eyes turned into slits as Kakarot chuckled nervously before continuing.

"Sorry. We're going to be on different sides of the world soon, starting our own families. I'm going to miss you a lot. Just wanted to let you know."

The leader knew what Kakarot wanted, but grimaced at the thought of it. Yet there was a deep aching in his chest that was comparable to Nappa's death. He would yet again be losing someone close to him. Vegeta double-checked to make sure nobody was looking and he gave him a hug that was so quick, a person blinking would miss it. The short act made him blush from embarrassment, but the redness soon spread all over his body when Kakarot decided to lift him up in a bear hug.

* * *

Hercule glanced out the window of his office and could feel his stomach-churning. Folks hadn't been this excited about a hanging since Lady Killer Lucky was finally caught. The only difference was the man currently at trial was innocent.

"Lord almighty..."

"That bad?"

The sheriff shook his head and turned away from the view of the spectators. In his arms were brand new threads that Bardock had requested to be buried in. The inmate had just finished his last meal and was rubbing his gut. "Heh, did we serve ya too much?"

"Nah. Just enough," Bardock wiped the corners of his mouth with the cloth napkin and folded it onto the empty plate. "Gine wouldn't like it if I died with an empty stomach."

Hercule laughed awkwardly while taking the plate the inmate slid under his gate. In return, he gave him the clothing. "Per your request. A red shirt, black pants, and bolo tie. I haven't seen one of them damn things since I was a youngin."

Bardock cocked an eyebrow at him while taking the items through the wooden bars. "You still are a kid. I've got twenty years on you."

"Yeah, well, you deserve twenty more," Hercule sighed while watching the forty-five-year-old observe what he was given. "If you ain't doing anything about it prior to your hanging, I'm tellin' the world of Sheriff Cooler's cowardliness posthumously."

"Don't be a fucking idiot!" Bardock snarled as he threw his items behind him onto the cot. Hercule gulped seeing him for once looking like he actually belonged inside the jail cell. "You utter a word and they'll kill you five times before you hit the ground. It's best to leave it alone."

"Geez, mister... You ain't have to get all frightening like that," Hercule wiped the sweat off his eyebrow. "I won't say nothin’, but it still ain't fair."

Bardock relaxed his features and released his tight grip on the bars. He knew Satan meant well, but with the young man planning on starting a family, Bardock knew running his mouth to the wrong person would result in either death or a lifetime of regret and guilt. He made sure the sheriff was occupied with the window once more before he started to undress.

Satan had fed him unfairly well the last year and a half. He wasn't scrawny as most prisoners were before their hanging. He maintained his physique well and was grateful. If people could somehow die again in the afterlife, he knew Gine would die seeing him all skin and bone. He looked exactly as he did before he went in, the husband she loved.

"You ready for a look-see?"

"Almost," Bardock looked down to make sure each button was done before tucking the tail of his shirt into his pants. "There."

When Hercule faced the former Saiyan once more, a huge grin was plastered all over his face. If he knew it wouldn't make him out to be a weirdo, the sheriff would say the inmate was one beautiful man. "Hey! Red looks great on you! I reckon I'll grab me a getup like that!" The sheriff opened the gate widely to allow Bardock to look at himself in the full-length mirror. It was specifically placed there for prisoners to get a last glimpse before judgment day.

The only thing that wasn't quite right was his bolo tie. It wasn't anything like the one Gohan had given him, but it would have to do. Bardock adjusted it and nodded in approval.

"I suppose my darling will be pleased."

Hercule looked at both of their images in the reflective glass. It was like a father and son standing by each other, with Hercule looking up at the taller Bardock in admiration.

"If you don't mind me saying, you might want to wear your hat. The temperature's cool, but that sun hits harshly when you haven't seen it in a while."

Now free to walk around the prison, Bardock went back inside his cell to get the last item he needed to complete his resting look. The vaquero settled the hat atop his messy spikes and winked at Hercule.

"Thanks, jefe," Bardock pulled his own collar forward and stuck his hand inside to pull out the black chain around his neck so the cross could rest against his chest. "Couldn't forget the most important part."

Hercule stared at the cross for a moment before snapping his fingers, being reminded of the guest that would soon arrive. "The preacher is on his way. I haven't the faintest clue what you could ask to be forgiven, though. You ain't ever killed nobody."

"No, but I've sinned," Bardock sighed and sat down on the bench against the wall. He looked down at the silver spurs of his boots while crossing his large arms over his chest. "This preacher the judgmental type?"

"Most of 'em don't care about what people have done."

"That's not what I mean. What's his history with bigotry?"

"Oh," Hercule blinked after sitting beside the inmate. "You ain't gotta worry about that, Bardock. His skin is darker than yours. I think he's been through worse than you."

Bardock narrowed his eyebrows when a knocking at the prison door caused both of the occupants to look up. Hercule stood up and adjusted his always loose pants before opening it. Wearing all black with a clean white collar, a wrinkled man had entered the room. He took off his hat to reveal a bald head and placed it on the sheriff's desk. The gold cross hanging low stood out against the dark material he wore. He removed the bible from inside his coat and followed Hercule to where Bardock had been observing him.

"Bardock, this right here is Kami. He's gonna be leading your prayers this morning."

The old man stuck out his hand for the inmate to shake. He wore a kind smile, one that resembled Gohan's. "Hi there, friend. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

The former Saiyan glanced at Hercule, who shrugged with an apologetic grin. "Sorry. When there's a prisoner who actually behaves himself, word gets around."

"Pleasure's all mine," Bardock shook Kami's hand firmly. "How does this work?"

Kami eyed the cross around Bardock's neck that was almost as large as his own. "What's your religion, child?"

"Don't have one," the inmate smirked when Kami looked at him with confusion on his aging face. "I read the book and I'm a believer, but I don't agree with everything. I think a man should be able to make up his own interpretation. Something wrong with that?"

Hearing the respectful tone, Kami took the place on the bench where Hercule was before. "Not at all. I've talked to men in here who had no belief at all and still sent them off in hopes of reaching Heaven. You having some blind faith is mighty fine indeed. Shall we start your confessions with a prayer?"

"You're the one in charge."

"Very well," Kami smiled warmly and put the bible on the bench between them. "Put your right hand on your heart and left hand on the good book. Repeat these words after me."

Bardock copied the pre-confession prayer word for word and ended with, "Although I am unworthy of Your love, because of it I come to You for forgiveness. Have mercy on me."

"There you go, child. Please confess to the sins you'd like forgiven."

The prison had grown silent with the two other men waiting for what Bardock's guilt held deep within to come forward in the light. He cleared his throat and looked directly into Kami's eyes once he found the right words. "What I seek forgiveness for is getting involved with the Saiyans and a dangerous lifestyle. I brought evil into my family and it cost me everything."

"I see," Kami nodded but kept a steady gaze. "Anything else?"

"No."

"Have you ever taken a man's life?"

"Not once."

"It's hard to get into Heaven when you lie during confessions. Do you wish to retract?"

"No," Bardock's voice was firm and unwavering. Hercule knew he was telling the truth. "I was by the Saiyans' side as they did terrible crimes, but I never killed somebody. I wouldn't lie. I'm trying to see my wife again and she's definitely above ground."

Kami saw through the man now, understanding he had a mission in the afterlife. Bardock went on to explain to him why he had joined the gang in the first place. Kami reached a hand out to hold Bardock's shoulder. "I see. Would you say you suffered greatly for this sin of greed?"

Bardock winced at the terminology. It hurt to admit, but greed was the category best fit for him. "Yes. I so greatly wish I would've worked harder for an honest way of living. I wish I never lied to my wife. I..." He swallowed hard but didn't take his misty eyes off the preacher. "I've paid for this sin by suffering the last thirteen years. I just want your forgiveness. I want my darling back."

Hercule sat down on the bench again, causing Bardock to become sandwiched between the men. His hand replaced Kami's as the preacher grabbed his golden cross. He closed his eyes and instructed Bardock to keep his hand on the bible as he did the same. "Father in Heaven, Bardock is no longer Thy enemy. I ask of you to heal the wounds of his soul. Please change the punishment of eternal damnation his sins deserve as he ascends into the afterlife. Amen."

"Amen," Bardock and Hercule said at the same time while choking back tears. Kami picked up the bible and held it to his chest while smiling sadly at the flushed prisoner.

"Cuando un hombre llora, no es señal de debilidad."

Bardock's eyes widened at the preacher suddenly speaking his native tongue. They had more in common than Hercule thought. He sniffed and cleared his throat, now sitting up straighter than ever before. "I ain't crying anymore, preacher. I've been waiting for this for a long time."

"No pero," Kami chuckled and pointed at the man sobbing behind Bardock. "El sheriff es como La Llorona."

As the men busted out laughing, Hercule realized they were talking about him. He wiped his eyes angrily with the back of his hands while pointing an accusing finger at their grinning faces. "I hope y'all ain't disrespecting a man of the law!"

"Hercule es una buena persona, no?"

"Yeah, he is," Bardock chuckled as the sheriff's face turned bright red. "Un poco feo, but a good man."

After hearing the inmate end on a compliment, Hercule felt himself calming down. He once more had to pull his pants up before heading to his desk. He took out a large bottle of whiskey and three shot glasses. "Here at Devil's Pass, we have a little tradition before we head to the gallows. You gonna be part of it this time, Kami? Or deny me?"

"You know I can't drink, but I would like some water in one of those glasses in order to give my friend here a proper send-off."

Hercule filled the cups to the brim with the men's preferences and they gathered in the center of the prison. They clinked their glasses together as the sound of guests were getting louder outside.

"Salud!" Bardock nodded at Kami and then to Hercule.

"Salud!"

Bardock and Hercule shivered at the strength of the alcohol and handed the glasses to the preacher who offered to put them away. While he went to the desk, the inmate took one last look at himself. He smoothed down any wrinkle that occurred since changing his outfit. He could see the sheriff behind him walking up with ropes in his hands. When Bardock turned around, Hercule laughed nervously.

"Sorry, buddy. It's the policy."

Without arguing, Bardock put his hands behind his back and allowed Hercule to tie them tightly together. The sheriff locked arms with him on the left while the preacher did the same on the right. They explained to him that it was in case anyone tried to shoot Bardock before he could make it to the gallows. Nobody in their right mind would shoot a man of faith or law.

"You ready to see daylight?"

Strangely calm after the momentary bout of anxiety that had rushed through him, Bardock breathed in and out through his nostrils before nodding his head. "Let's do this."

As soon as they stepped out of the prison, an eruption of boos broke out from the crowd. Some of the spectators screamed out derogatory terms that would offend both Bardock and Kami if they paid any mind to it. Their focus was getting through the people safely to the stage. Hercule was right about the sun. It was early March and the temperature was still chilly, but the time spent locked up made him feel like he was on fire. It took Bardock a while for his eyes to adjust to the light and he was thankful to be guided by the two men.

Once they had made it to the gallows, Bardock was able to make eye contact with the pale angry faces of the crowd. There wasn't a single one he recognized and he was thankful that for once in their lives, the boys listened to him. He was instructed by Hercule to stand on the stool that would be knocked over after the prayers were said. The sheriff got on one adjacent to him and frowned at the cheers as he draped the rope around Bardock's neck.

"I ain't gonna recover after this one," Hercule sighed and froze with his hands on the thick material. "If it means anything to you at all, I considered you a friend. A damn good one at that. I can't believe it has to end like this. It ain't fair."

"That's life, Satan," Bardock grinned. "Make sure my body gets to my sons somehow."

Hercule took a ragged breath and saluted the man in silence before stepping down. He got the crowd to silence themselves so Kami could begin. As the preacher began with the Lord's prayer, Bardock caught sight of something shiny coming from atop a building nearby. It was the barrel of a shotgun, aimed directly at the stage.

"SATAN!" he roared and stunned the preacher and crowd. "GET THE FUCK DOWN!"

The sheriff arched an eyebrow, wondering what had gotten into the usually quiet prisoner. He was struggling to take the noose off his neck. "Bardock? Did you change your-"

"GET DOWN! EVERYBODY!"

A bullet had gone through the chest of one of the guards on the stage with them to explain Bardock's behavior. People in the crowd were either screaming, running away, or taking their own guns out to see who'd done it. One by one, the guards on the stage were shot and taken down. Hercule and the preacher had ducked down and were holding onto their heads as gunshots continued to go off, killing either guards or innocent bystanders.

"Bardock!" Hercule looked up at him and shouted against the screams of victims and those trying to run away from the snipers. "What the hell is going on!? Is it them Saiyans!?"

"I don't know!" Bardock seethed through his teeth and glared back up at the rooftop. He squinted through the sweat pouring down his face to see if he could identify the assailant, but he was too far away. The sound of hooves stampeding the ground forced Bardock to look straight ahead to masked riders cocking their guns at those trying to shoot them first. The mysterious group dressed in all black was quicker on the trigger and fired first. With their hats and bandanas on, it was hard for Bardock to tell who any of them were.

Then he saw him.

The only man in the west who had hair so long it couldn't be concealed under a hat.

His oldest son.

Bardock didn't know what Raditz had been through in the year and a half since he had been locked up, but the son appeared to be an entirely different person. With two guns in his hands and a sharp knife attached to his holster, he jumped off his moving horse with ease and continued firing into the crowd. His hatless hair blew wildly against the wind as he and some of the other outlaws with him were making an empty path in the middle.

Seeing Raditz going toe to toe with armed men was making Bardock's stomach flip. His oldest wasn't the best at shooting and unless he had drastically improved since the last time, he would surely end up dead. Bardock looked down to ask the trembling sheriff for his gun but was interrupted by the feeling of someone coming up from behind him.

* * *

Kakarot could feel his heart racing as he stared at the back of his father. He had been crouching on the side of the prison, waiting for them to bring him out. The afro-haired sheriff had just finished putting the noose around his neck when Kakarot stood up. He pulled the black bandana up to cover everything under his eyes. Vegeta was in place on top of the shop and Kakarot waited for his sign to go.

A round went off and the first guard went down. A crowd of people screamed and took off in different directions as the other guards were shot. Kakarot ran undetected to where his father was and removed the knife from his holster's pocket. He hopped up on the stage and got up on the stool next to his father. When Bardock looked at him with a horrified expression, Kakarot smiled nervously.

"Heeeeey, Pops. Long time, no see."

His father stuttered, unable to get the words he wanted to say out. Kakarot seesawed the knife against the thick rope until it frayed and broke. He did the same with his wrists. Now unable to feel any pressure on his neck or hands, Bardock growled and grabbed Kakarot by his jacket and took him down onto the stage where Hercule and Kami were still covering themselves.

"Pinche burro!" Bardock shook his youngest without knowing his son was grinning underneath his mask. "I told you two to stay away!"

"You of all people should know we got a hard time listenin'," Kakarot winked and could feel his father loosening his grip despite his scowl deepening. "You raised us, after all."

A loud whistle filled their ears over all the other noise. Kakarot whistled back while lifting Bardock up with him. The father was stunned at the strength his son possessed to be able to do it against his will. A Saiyan they didn't know the name of was running up with a horse for them. Knowing that he was in their scheme too deep now, Bardock cursed under his breath and got on behind Kakarot. His son shot at the horse's hooves to get the animal to run faster than it normally would.

"SON OF A BITCH!" Multiple voices were shouting and shooting as they passed through the open area Raditz and Tora had created. "THE MOTHERFUCKER IS GETTING AWAY! WHY THE HELL ISN'T THAT YELLOWBELLY SHERIFF DOING ANYTHING!?"

Bardock glanced over his shoulder to see Hercule had no choice but to stand up. The sheriff had a town to defend and he was failing miserably. He whistled for his own men to bring him a horse and Bardock turned around before seeing any arrive.

"Whatever happens, don't shoot that sheriff!" Bardock commanded. "If he fires first, you die like an honest man. Understand?"

"Sorry, Pops. Can't die," Kakarot grunted as he forced the horse to move faster. The horses he was hearing approach from behind had to be friendly because they weren't shooting at him. "My darling's waiting on me."

"Your what...?" Bardock blinked at the back of his son's head but the object in his peripheral vision got his attention instead. His oldest was on the left, and Vegeta was on the right. Tora was running ahead so he was in the front. The father looked behind him to see there were a few Saiyans as well. They were forming a circle around Kakarot and himself to protect from any gunshots. The oldest of the bunch seethed once again, knowing he should be dead or where Raditz was. "Stop the horse. Your brother should be in the middle."

"Don't worry about me, Pops!" Raditz called while waving a gun in the air. "We can't stop moving, now!"

"Be grateful you bastard," Vegeta smirked when Bardock made eye contact. "Your kin and I went through a lot of trouble just to save your hide."

The father looked around in disbelief at all those involved in his rescue as he and his son bounced up and down through the desert ground. He had no idea where they were headed, but the rest of the Saiyans seemed so confident. He held onto his son tighter when Kakarot fired another round near the horse's legs to speed it up. The sound of the good guys was fast approaching.

"Kakarot," he whispered, exhausted and desperate. "I can't lose my sons. Whatever the hell you have planned, don't die or get caught."

"That's the plan," the son chuckled. "Hold on. I think we need to start shooting." Kakarot glanced at Vegeta who nodded. The Saiyans came to a stop and turned their horses around to face Sheriff Hercule Satan and his band of shooters coming in. Kakarot whistled for Raditz to come near him as Vegeta and Shugesh got in front to lead the would-be shootout.

"Is it time?"

"Yeah," Kakarot nodded and looked at his brother appreciatively. "It's time."

"Time for what, exactly?" Bardock arched an eyebrow suspiciously as both his sons got off their horses. They exchanged a quick embrace before Raditz took the place of Kakarot. "What the fuck is going on!?"

Kakarot tipped his hat to his father and twiddled his fingers against the big iron on his hip. Terror sucked the very breath from his father's mouth and the fine hair stood on the back of his neck as it donned on him what was going to happen.

"Give me the gun," Bardock pleaded. He wanted to get off the saddle but was paralyzed to the spot, the menacing aura in the air holding him in a tight grip. "This isn't your business."

Kakarot smiled sadly from underneath his bandana and slapped the horse to send his father and brother on the way to Tortoise Creek. Tora and a few of Satan's men followed after, but the youngest one had no choice but to believe they'd survive what would happen. He sighed heavily while his father could be heard shouting off in the distance. There were six Saiyans left to fight six others, with many more on their way.

Kakarot stood beside Vegeta as the sheriff got off his horse. The youngest Saiyan could tell the sheriff was anxious by the way his legs shook. He was inexperienced and somewhat of a coward, making the outlaw wonder how he got this position.

"Alright, you-you varmints," Hercule gulped. "Surrender yourselves now or prepare to die."

Vegeta chuckled darkly and all the Saiyans save Kakarot copied him. "Sorry, hoss. The only one dying here today is you."

The sheriff gulped again, and this time everyone heard it. More of Hercule's men were approaching, outnumbering the outlaws now. "O-Okay...you asked for it, partner! Get ready for a quickdraw."

Kakarot could hear his heart pounding in his ears as they all got ready to fire their weapon. He always hated shootouts, he always hated death especially when it was caused by him. He hadn't needed to kill anyone for so long, and this would be his last rodeo. He closed his eyes tightly while feeling the cool metal of his father's beloved gun. The sound of the men reaching for theirs surrounded him but he was only focused on his own movements. The sheriff and Vegeta shouted something and Kakarot opened his eyes. He watched as each of his targets fell down. He had taken down five in total once the smoke cleared even though that wasn't enough to save his own men. Vegeta, himself, and the sheriff were the only ones left standing.

Hercule hadn't even had the chance to draw his gun. His hand was still frozen on his holster. He looked down to make sure he hadn't wet himself from straight fear of how sharp of a shooter the two Saiyans before him were.

"Y-Ya'll didn't aim for me..."

"Pops said not to," Kakarot shrugged while Vegeta scoffed to add, "And I've fucked up a few times but I'm not foolish enough to kill a sheriff."

The three stood there, surrounded by the dead bodies and silence. Hercule opened his mouth to say something, but a silent ride had snuck up from behind and hit him on the back of his head with his gun. Kakarot raised his gun at the assailant but Vegeta ordered him to put it away.

"Stop. I know him. It's Paragus's son."

"Paragus?" Kakarot's jaw opened slightly while looking at the large man who had just knocked Hercule unconscious. "But he's so-"

"Yeah, a jolly giant," Vegeta glared up at the quiet cowboy who was putting his gun back. He had blood on his clothing showing that he was part of the rescue. "What brings you here? Thought you didn't want to be a Saiyan."

Broly looked over his shoulder on both sides as if someone was watching him. His voice was a low pitch as if there was. "Cold knows what you did. He's going to a place called Aces."

Vegeta dropped his gun to the floor at the same time Kakarot looked at him. The color in his face quickly drained and he couldn't control his hands. They were shaking in an odd trembling rhythm. "...What?"

"Go!" Kakarot urged him with a shove towards his horse. "I got it from here. It's time to take care of your family, brother."

The shove from him gave Vegeta the flight responses he needed. His increasing heart rate flooded him with added adrenaline as he swung himself onto a horse that was still alive. He had taken off without a word, leaving Broly to look down at Kakarot.

"I'll follow him."

"Thank you," Kakarot nodded appreciatively and watched the stranger catch up to Vegeta. He frowned. There was a bitter taste in the back of the mouth he couldn't get rid of. Cold going after Bulma couldn't end well at all, and he was torn between helping his best friend save the love of his life or return to his own. He would just have to find a way to contact Vegeta later to find out what had happened.

Chi-Chi was who he needed to be with right now.

He mumbled a quick prayer for his friend, unaware that another group loaded with guns was closing in on him.

* * *

It wasn't until Raditz came to a stop that his father stopped releasing a slew of profanity. The gunshots of the enemies were getting too close for comfort. Tora had joined their side and he reached a hand over to squeeze whatever part of Bardock's arm he could reach.

"Hey, amigo. Still good to see you like red."

Bardock looked at his long-time friend and couldn't decide if he wanted to smile or punch him in the face. "How the hell did they rope you into this?"

"It was my choice," Tora laughed when he could see a vein throbbing in Bardock's head. "As soon as I heard you were in prison, I knew I had to get you out."

Their conversation ended when Hercule's men closed in. They pulled out their guns and shot down the horse Bardock and Raditz were on, sending them crashing down to the ground. Tora got off of his to fire back rapidly, hitting only a few when four remained. Raditz scrambled to his feet and managed to shoot one in the leg. Bardock snatched the second gun from his son's holster and killed the rest with a bullet hole to the head. As the men bled out, Bardock could feel the cross around his neck grow heavy. He needed Kami's assistance with forgiveness again sooner than he thought.

Tora waited until his breathing returned to normal before laughing. "Fuck yeah! That's how it's done!" He reached a hand out for a high five, but Bardock slapped it out of the way.

"Dumbass, you were supposed to be keeping an eye on my sons, not engaging with them in this Saiyan shit. I can't even see my wife's grave now! The boys can't be with their mother in the home we built together!"

As Tora tried to defend himself against the angered father, Raditz walked back over to where his horse was killed to take some money out of the saddlebag that they would need to exchange for pesos in San Mariposa. While he searched, one of the men who hadn't died yet was aiming his gun directly at him through blurred vision. Bardock hadn't noticed until the sound of a bullet pierced the air.

* * *

Kakarot had promised he'd return in a week.

It had been more than a week, and Chi-Chi was feeling ill to the very pit of her stomach. The cowboy never broke a promise before.

She feared the worst as one week turned into two, and then two turned into a month. She began to lose count of how many days passed by, and she wondered if she’d ever hear from Kakarot again.

And yet, she waited for him.

Thanks to her time with the Saiyans, she had learned to manipulate the land around her to her will. She knew how to make a fire with what was around her to cook decent meals. She used the river to clean herself and keep looking presentable for when he'd return. The lonely nights were spent inside the stagecoach hidden from view, although she had no worries. She hadn't seen a person since she arrived.

One day, Chi-Chi sat at the edge of Tortoise Creek and splashed her tired face with water. She had chosen a new area of the body of water to explore today, wondering if maybe Kakarot would be here instead of further up. After she rubbed her skin, she paused to blink at a shimmering stone underneath the clear liquid. She dropped her hand in and pulled out a golden nugget.

Her eyes widened as she turned the precious metal around, unsure if it were real or not. She gasped at the sight of even more that looked exactly like it, only ranging in different sizes.

She had discovered a river of gold.

A little too hurriedly, she gathered the metal up and placed it on the land beside her. It had to be over a million dollars worth sitting there. Chi-Chi placed a hand on her chest to control her beating heart. Finally, something was looking up.

"Damn Teach. Save some for the rest of us."

"AH!"

She dropped the pieces she had gathered to bring back to her stagecoach at the sound of a man's voice. Once the initial fright wore off, her heart fluttered at the nickname even though the voice sounded different. Chi-Chi turned around slowly and her eyes swelled up with tears. Raditz was standing there, leaning on a walking stick. His pants were rolled up to the knee of his right leg and he had appendages on his calf. He cracked a smile when her face switched from joy to concern when noticing his wound.

"You should see the other guy. He's dead."

Chi-Chi ran towards him and hugged him tightly. Her grip was so unexpectedly strong that Raditz's arms went back while she clung to him. His only good leg unable to support the extra weight, Raditz fell backward onto the ground with her on top of him.

"I thought I'd never see you guys again!" she sobbed into his chest while he awkwardly patted her back. "I've been alone for so long waiting!"

"Hold on," Raditz looked down at the top of her head, panic rushing through him. "Kakarot's not here?"

Chi-Chi brought her head up to look at him with her reddened face. "H-He's... He's not with you?"

Another figure had emerged from the trees as soon as she had said it. At first, she thought Raditz was messing with her after seeing the head full of messy spikes, but her heart broke all over again when she saw the scar on the different face. He raised an eyebrow at the sight before him.

"Whose girl is this? Yours or Kakarot's?"

"Pops," Raditz bent his head back to look at his father upside down. "Kakarot ain't here."

Chi-Chi jumped up as she watched the man punch a tree. She left Raditz where he was as she took gentle steps towards him. After releasing his anger, he stood with his forehead pressed against the bark. She swallowed, afraid to ask what was on her mind but found the courage to do it.

"Is he...?"

Bardock pushed himself off the tree to look at the woman with reddened eyes. She gasped loudly and brought her hands to her mouth. He didn't need to exchange words to let her know they were fearing the same thing. She felt as though something walked through her and left her numb. Her hand shook as she lowered them slightly, still keeping them in the air but not knowing what to do. Bardock took her in and held her, both of them crying although the woman was much louder about it.

"He...He..." Chi-Chi was covering his dirty red shirt with snot. "He said he was going to come here..."

Bardock closed his eyes tightly. After Raditz was shot, they had gone off in the opposite direction of where Kakarot last was to get him help. They assumed Kakarot had been waiting here for them alongside this woman he was currently holding. There was nowhere else for him to go. A cold wave embalmed him and his mouth ran dry. He didn't know what else to say or do besides hold onto Kakarot's darling.

"Geez, I save his life and my pops already stole my girl."

The two that were embraced froze, looked at one another, and then at the man who had seemingly appeared out of thin air. He was chewing on a piece of tall yellow grass and managing to smile at the same time. His horse was attached to the rope he was holding onto. The bandolier he had around his body was empty, completely out of bullets after using them all. His clothing was drenched in dried blood from head to toe, having survived something only legends lived to tell.

Instead of getting a warm welcome, the faces of two people he loved were vicious. As Chi-Chi was the first to get close, Kakarot puckered his lips expecting a smooch. What he got was a slap that nearly took him off his feet. He stumbled forward while rubbing the sore spot.

"What the heck was that for, darling!? I wasn't gone that long, was I?"

"YES! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!"

Kakarot winced at her loud voice and the balling of her fists followed soon after. There were tears in her eyes but they weren't of sadness anymore. "Shouldn't you be happy that I'm not!?"

"You broke your promise!" she brought a fist up to her ear and punched him in the chest. He held onto it when it made contact but she wasn't in the mood for his playfulness. She brought her hand back to her and turned her back to him with her nose in the air. "You said one week at most and I've been here for a month."

"Aw darling, I had to go the long way around!" Kakarot pouted when she refused to turn around to look at him again. "I was chased all over kingdom come by those guys! I couldn't lead them to you!"

When she just made a 'hmph' sound, Kakarot looked to his father for help but sweatdropped when he was just as pissed.

"Pops, I-"

"Chamaco," Bardock's voice was full of venom and Kakarot yelped. It had been a long time since he heard that tone and saw that look. "You don't ever listen."

"Hey! That's not fair!" Kakarot whined. "After everything, I did for everybody I think I deserve a little leeway!"

"Te calmas o te calmo?"

The son stood up straight and saluted his father, knowing whenever he said that he meant business. "I'll be quiet, sir."

Bardock eyed his son up and down as walking in a circle around him. Kakarot closed his eyes, afraid to make contact. "You know something," his voice was gruff and chilling. "There was something I always wanted to do to you but your mother wouldn't let me. Now that you're a man, I won't feel so bad for doing it."

Kakarot's eyelids popped open while he looked at his father in horror. He had no idea what he was referring to, but he was asking Chi-Chi for one of her heeled shoes. With speed quicker than the fastest gun in the west could fire his bullets, Bardock threw the shoe at Kakarot's head.

"Ow! That smarts!"

While Bardock gathered his son into an embrace and Chi-Chi retrieved her shoe while laughing, the father whispered into his son's aching ear. "That's the way my mama got me to listen but it hurt a hell of a lot more. Now go make it up to your hermosita so you can do it to your own kids."

Kakarot wanted to hug his father even tighter, not realizing until now how much he missed him despite the wallop. The faint sound of Raditz in the background kept that from happening.

"Are any of you assholes gonna help me up!?"

The younger brother looked in his direction and frowned at the wound he saw. "Is it temporary?"

"No. He's going to walk with a limp the rest of his life," Bardock shook his head. "I'm just thanking the Lord he's still alive. I'm baptizing you both as soon as we're in San Mariposa."

Kakarot chuckled to himself as his father jogged over to assist his brother. Chi-Chi was clearing her throat, now ready to give him some sweeter attention.

"You're lucky I'm still here."

The outlaw picked her up in his arms like the bride he wanted her to be and carried her to the stagecoach. He went inside and closed it for privacy. She was sitting on his lap, blushing at their closeness and waiting to hear what he had to say.

"What day do you want to get married, darling?"

Chi-Chi pulled away to give their lips some distance, offended by his question. "Oh, no sir! You're going to have to work extra hard for it, now! If you're going to be my husband, you'll need to get yourself a decent job first and live by a set schedule so I'm not having these heart palpitations anymore! And I'm going to need time to figure out the language so I can be a teacher there. Don't think I'm giving up my dream just-"

"Shhh," Kakarot silenced her with a sweet kiss to her clean neck. She was the complete opposite of him. "You worry too much. Once you're a teacher and I have a job, that's when I can ask for your hand. We don't need to stress about anything else."

She really wanted to argue, but his large eyes the same chocolatey color of her own were awfully hard to stay mad at. He was waiting for her to do something and had been since he arrived. Chi-Chi pressed her lips against his, only wanting it to be a quick peck knowing his father was only a few feet away. Kakarot had other intentions. He parted her lips with his tongue while grasping the back of her head. His free thumb throbbed at the hollow of her neck, rubbing up and down to warm her up. All the while his tongue continued to conquer the depths of her mouth like he was hungry for it.

Hungry for her.

Chi-Chi gasped as she broke away from him, doing her best to catch her breath. "N-No. You're going to have to wait for that."

"Mmhm," he smirked while searching her dilated pupils with his own. "I don't think I'll be waiting for long, darling."

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus, the 1871 version of la chancla became born. La bota. Chapter 20 will open with a conversation to find out more details of where our boys went during their time away from Chi-Chi. We'll check in on Vegeta and Bulma as well, and watch as the group finds their bearings in San Mariposa. What new and old faces will they encounter? Find out later this week when I share the newest installment entitled "Sheriff Goku and Miss Milk". <3 
> 
> It has truly been a blast sharing with you this little project of mine and we are going out with a bang, darling! The sequel will be up later in March as I will continue adding more western stories to the archive. I appreciate your support endlessly and will show it the same love as I did this <3 Have a gorgeous week and those stuck in the snow, stay safe!


	20. Sheriff Goku and Miss Milk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the North, Vegeta finds out what's happened with his family. In the West, Chi-Chi gets some advice and lessons from Bardock, while Kakarot meets his match in a mysterious man nicknamed El Jirafa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to my life-saving beta Green_Riot!

The abandoned appearance of Aces could be chalked up to Bulma getting ready to head further north, or something had gone wrong. Either way, Vegeta had his heart in his throat as he ran to the backdoor he always entered through since the construction of the saloon. He didn't even check to see if it was locked or not. The bottom of his boot kicked it open.

"Vegeta."

The outlaw whipped out the colt and aimed it at the figure in the hallway. He lowered it when he realized who it was. "Where the fuck is Bulma, shorty?"

The sheriff's sad eyes reached into the pocket of his jeans in order to give Vegeta the folded piece of paper. "This ain't no love note, Vegeta. A heinous crime has taken place here. I waited here each night for months for you just to show you."

Vegeta arched an eyebrow and snatched the note from Krillin's hand. He unfolded it and stared first at the image. It was a drawing of a baby, a little girl with a bow in her hair. His hands were growing clammy as he read the words beneath her.

**Missing: Bulla Brief**

**Babe of 3 months**

**Last known whereabouts along Infernal Creek**

**$1,000,000 reward**

"Bulla...Brief..." Vegeta repeated the name and lowered the poster to his chest so he could see the sheriff. "You mean to tell me..."

"We don't have a million at the moment but I know we can provide it when it's time, what with Bulma's father being a doctor and you...well, you know," Krillin kept a straight face through his wide range of emotions. He wanted to shoot the Saiyan dead right then and there or throw handcuffs on him. There was a bigger issue at hand. "I'm sorry, Vegeta. That Cold guy stole your daughter. Some men tracked him down to Infernal Creek and all but one was slaughtered. We haven't heard anything since then."

The poster fell slowly to the fine carpeting of Aces that had been stained by Bulma's blood weeks ago. Vegeta stumbled backward due to the ringing in his ears, unable to listen to anything else Krillin had to say. His back hit the wall harshly and he closed his eyes, disbelieving that any of this was true. It couldn't be. He had just gotten back home.

"Vegeta," Krillin said his name again in hopes the outlaw would look up from the bloodstains that surrounded them. "Bulma was beaten up something awful. She's at my house where Lazuli has been taking good care of her and Trunks. He's your son. You had twins."

The Saiyan's eyes revealed his heartache that didn't need any words. Krillin sighed and motioned for Vegeta to follow him. "I'll take you there. You don't happen to have any other Saiyans with you, do you?"

Although he didn't get a response from Vegeta, the sheriff's eyes settled on the large man who was sitting on a horse outside.

"Hey, traitor!" Krillin snapped with narrowed eyes. "I knew that's where you went off to."

"Wasn't trying to. Overheard men were coming to this place and I wanted to help," Broly wanted to add that it seemed like the sheriff had failed at protecting his town after seeing the hung head of Vegeta, but didn't feel like making the situation worse. "I don't think now is the time for arguing."

Krillin clenched and unclenched his jaw and fists. With the size and power that Broly held, they could've easily overpowered those Saiyans and nobody would've been in this mess. The sheriff looked at Vegeta again and knew what he had to do. "Fine. We'll talk after. You bushwhackers follow me."

The ride was short, dark, and quiet. Lazuli opened the door when she heard the sound of hooves. She picked up the rifle that was mounted on the wall and aimed it at Vegeta's head as he climbed off his horse just in case he was trying anything funny. Krillin looked at her and shook his head, letting her know it wasn't necessary. She lowered it but glared at the men as they entered her home.

"She's the last door on the left," Lazuli told Vegeta coldly. "Don't even think about going anywhere else."

Krillin wanted to tell his wife to ease up after never seeing the Saiyan this silent, but she had every right to feel apprehensive about the gunslinger being in their home. "If you're feeling up to it when you're done, I'd love to talk to you about a few things."

Vegeta left them all behind without a word and trudged slowly to where the queen would be waiting. His hand froze on the knob. He didn't know if he was ready to see what was inside.

"Is that you, jackass?"

He inhaled sharply at her raspy voice, sounding just as sexy and beautiful as ever despite the sadness that clung to it. He turned the knob and couldn't believe his eyes. Bulma was sitting up on the edge of the bed, her face in uneven purple tones as the bruises she received were still in the process of healing. Dressed in only a chemise, her revealed skin had cuts all over it.

And still, despite the horror she had lived through, she cradled their son in her arms.

"You just missed it," she smiled sadly while looking at Trunks' eyelids. "He was giggling not too long ago."

Vegeta sat down next to her, looking between both their faces. Their son had all his features but her hair color. "What color are the eyes?"

"Blue. Same as mine," Bulma pressed her forehead against his, taking in his scent of cigarettes and cedar. "Bulla does, too."

At the mention of his missing daughter's name, Vegeta pulled away and searched his wife's face. She wasn't loud about it, but tears were rolling down her bruised cheeks. Vegeta caught one with his thumb before it could fall onto their son. He kept his hand there to hold her face and keep her chin up high.

What the hell could he possibly say?

For once in his life, his kiss was gentle. He treated her lips as if they were going to fall apart. One of his large hands left her face to hold onto the back of her hand as he continued to kiss her softly. It was only making more tears of hers to form. She put Trunks down in the crib in front of her and then wrapped her slender arms around his muscular neck.

"Please don't," she sniffed and tried her best to be heard through her tears. "Don't leave us. You can hire the best search team in the god damn world or hire a hitman for all I care, but please...don't leave..."

Unable to process what he was experiencing inside, Vegeta put both hands on her back and rubbed the spots he knew she loved being touched. He was just numb.

He had caused all of this.

"If that's what you want."

"It is."

Without a word, Vegeta kissed her forehead and then his son's before leaving the bedroom. He didn't chance another look at Bulma as he closed the door behind him. He had to clear his head before he could be in there any longer. Too much had happened too soon and he didn't know what to do. He didn't have Nappa. He didn't have Kakarot. He didn't even have a cigarette.

He ignored Krillin's questions as he stepped into the dark outdoors. He kept walking and only stopped when he knew nobody was following him. Once he was alone by the evergreen trees of home, he let it all out. The lump in the back of his throat was finally let go and he wept in the quiet wilderness. Looking like the young boy he never got to be, Vegeta pulled his knees to his chest and cursed under the moon everything he had done wrong in this life of sin to have something as cruel as this happen.

He heard the sound of a twig snapping but didn't bother to stop now.

"I bet this fucking makes you happy."

"Why would it?"

Vegeta felt a sharp pain in his chest hearing Bulma's voice instead of Krillin's. He could feel her against him when she sat down. He lifted his head and looked at her through reddened eyes. She was holding Trunks against her chest, who had finally woken up. The Saiyan straightened his legs out when Bulma offered him to her.

Now being the parent to hold him, Vegeta looked down at his son's small face. His expression switched from a smile of joy to one of aching as he knew there was another who needed to be here. His daughter. His little Bulla. Bulma knew what he was thinking because she had gone through those thoughts every single day. She leaned in to kiss his stubbled cheek.

"We'll get her back. I know we will," Bulma sighed and leaned against him. She rested her head on his shoulder as he continued to cradle Trunks. "But it's above one's bend to stay here. Krillin says the only way he's not going to arrest you is if you leave town for good."

Vegeta knew she didn't want him to leave, and he didn't dare to search for Cold with his infant son. As much as it killed him, he needed to go through with his original plans of the far north. He could possibly ask Broly, the expert tracker, to find Bulla or relay information. That would be a way for Krillin to forgive him for abandoning the sheriff on the trail.

Bulma frowned. Never in his life had Vegeta cried in front of her or been this silent. She had been going through her own grief but knew the harsh realities. "Can you please tell me what's on your mind?"

"Reach into my coat pocket."

Bulma blinked at his odd command but did it anyway. She dug around until her hands touched a small box. "What's this?"

"Open it."

Her heart was racing the minute she saw the jewel, for even in the darkness of the night it shone brightly. It was a sapphire ring. "It's so gorgeous," she gushed. "I can't believe you got me this!"

"Put it on," Vegeta finally looked away from his son after he had shut his eyes to see Bulma's reaction. He felt a small sliver of happiness seeing her grinning for once. She had a different type of tear falling once she began to admire how it looked on her finger.

"It fits perfectly," she gasped while holding it out in front of her. "How'd you know the right size?"

He knew her better than she knew herself.

"It ain't how I wanted to propose, but now you know I meant what I said. Will you be my wife?"

Bulma nodded furiously and kissed his head, cheek, nose, eyelids, anything she could on his face. All the pecks were pulling a smile out of him, even if it was small. He was so serious about holding his son that his hands never touched her. Instead, he offered his lips for a kiss there. The broken family of three sat underneath the northern sky in silence but together.

Vegeta couldn't rest as they did. All he could think about now was the fact someone was missing from their small group. He had an empty place in his heart reserved for someone he had never met but loved deeper than only a father could understand.

As his fiancée and son fell asleep close to him, Vegeta knew no matter what he had to do and no matter how long, he was going to get his daughter back somehow.

* * *

With all the horses tied up to the stagecoach, the travelers were able to enjoy a somewhat comfortable ride. The injured Raditz was inside with Chi-Chi while Bardock and Kakarot controlled the journey. Now able to think straight, Chi-Chi settled her eyes on the back of Bardock's head which completely resembled his youngest son's. She still hadn't gathered enough information about the man to trust him or know if he was another Vegeta.

There was a lot she didn't know.

Where Kakarot had disappeared for so long, where did Raditz and Bardock go, what exactly were their plans once they got to San Mariposa...

Chi-Chi glanced at the pile of gold in the corner. It would be enough to support her until she was ready to teach students in their native tongue. She took her eyes off the gold to stare at the wound on Raditz's leg that was bandaged up. "Where in the world did you go after getting shot? Those people must've been on you like flies on honey."

"The perks of having connections," Raditz winked but winced when touching the wrapping. "Tora took us to this tribe. A medicine man named Bora and his kid Upa patched me up pretty good. I could've lost my leg for good if it weren't for them."

Chi-Chi frowned. "Are you going to need to use a walking stick forever?"

"Nah. I'll get used to the limp. I'm just glad Vegeta ain't around no more or he'd give me shit for it."

Bardock turned to face his youngest son at the mention of the Saiyan and scowled at him. "You should've never been hanging around him after I headed south with Frieza. You cabrones were supposed to be at the ranch."

Kakarot sweated as he turned a corner. He could feel his father switch his gaze on him. "If we never joined up with Vegeta, you'd be dead and I would've never met that sweet girl back there. It all worked out for a reason. And on the bright side, Frieza's dead!"

"WHAT!?"

Chi-Chi put her head up against the wall of the stagecoach as the sons gave their father all the information he needed to be caught up on. The only thing she wanted to know was where Kakarot went and why all of his bullets were gone. She thought she closed her eyes for only a minute, but when she opened them the sun had been replaced by the moon. It was night and they were setting up camp for the horses to get some rest.

"Hello darling," Kakarot put a lantern in the center of the stagecoach before snuggling up close to her. "How was your siesta?"

"My what?"

"Nap," he winked. "See? I'm already learning a few things."

Chi-Chi rolled her eyes but held onto him anyway. When her hand touched the empty bandolier around his chest, she frowned and remembered her concern from earlier. "Please don't tell me you killed a bunch of people."

Kakarot sighed and held her tighter. His leg was shaking, showing he was nervous about something and that made her feel more uneasy. "Vegeta took off and left me alone with the sheriff. I thought nobody else was coming but a huge crowd of folks hootin' and hollerin' with guns blazing came stampeding for me. They wanted me dead. Some of them thought I was Pops. Even after I shot a bunch of them, they kept following me. I knew I couldn't come for you until the last one was taken care of."

Chi-Chi bit her lip. She didn't want to judge him knowing they all had blood on their hands for various reasons. She also knew Kakarot didn't kill for fun. "I'm afraid to ask how many it was."

His clothing was covered in blood that wasn't his own. They would all need to change before meeting anyone new in San Mariposa. Kakarot's voice was gruff when it came out, the only tone it ever was when he was serious. "I couldn't risk them finding you, darling. I'd do anything to keep you safe."

If she didn't know that by now, she never would. She raised her head up to kiss him sweetly. "Are you a Saiyan no longer?"

Kakarot grinned and returned her kiss, except much more deeply and open-mouthed. Chi-Chi was bright red when he pulled away to smirk at her. "Yes ma'am. I'm now just your cowboy."

The days and nights on the trail to San Mariposa continued on for another month. They had explored a variety of land that was for sale around the town and Bardock thoroughly inspected the soil of each before they came in contact with the sellers. Chi-Chi hadn't spoken much to the father and former inmate during their ride, but she found herself intrigued by the way he pressed his ear on the ground.

"Why does he do that?"

The sons, on the other hand, were not impressed one bit. "To embarrass us," Raditz kicked dirt up. "Get up, Pops! If this ain't it, then maybe San Mariposa ain't the town for us."

"Callate, changito!" he snapped and held up a middle finger to silence his son. "This might be it. This land speaks to me."

"Sorry," Kakarot whispered down to Chi-Chi. "I forgot to mention Pops is a weirdo."

The woman didn't think so. Although her own father wasn't as great at it as Bardock was, Ox loved growing vegetables. "No, he's not! He's just a farmer!"

As Bardock brushed the dust off of him, he grinned at Chi-Chi. "Damn straight. Kakarot said you want to be a teacher?"

"Sure do," she smiled but also couldn't deny the farmer was attractive given his age. Both herself and Kakarot were lucky the genes ran in his family. "I was hoping you could teach me everything you know about the language here so I can get a job."

"You got it. Nice to know one of you kids has ambition," Bardock glared at his sons. "What are you two going to do?"

"Definitely not farm," Raditz scoffed and earned a backhand from his father. "Ow! Well, what do you expect me to do? I'm a bad man, remember?"

Chi-Chi rocked back and forth on her heels while humming. "Well, with me working, you could always be the homemaker of the family."

"Ha-ha-ha," Raditz mocked her and rolled his eyes. "You're _so_ funny, Teach. Like that shit will ever happen."

* * *

"For the last time," Bardock pinched the bridge of his nose while slapping a stick against the large slate he had mounted on the wall. "It's not 'gee' here it's 'hay'."

The three blank faces staring back at him caused him to break the stick in half. Chi-Chi was stressed out trying to write down all the correct pronunciation of the letters, Raditz couldn't care less, and Kakarot was plain confused having just learned the English letter names.

"Geez, Pops! The only one that needs to know this stuff right now is Chi-Chi," Kakarot pouted and rested his head in his hands while propping his elbows up on the table. "Can't you teach us some useful words?"

"Right. That reminds me," the father ran a hand through his messy spikes while looking at the woman. "You're going to have to go by another name. Those kids are going to scrutinize you the rest of your teaching days."

The brothers looked at Chi-Chi, who was just as unsure as they were. "What's wrong with my name?"

"I'll tell you later when you're out of the present company."

A slow grin spread across Raditz's face as he watched his father blush. Whatever it was, it had to be good to make Bardock embarrassed. "Aw, c'mon Pops. Tell us."

"No!"

"Please?" Kakarot blinked his large eyes he inherited from his mother. "If I'm gonna marry this girl, I should know what her name means!"

Chi-Chi rolled her eyes, getting frustrated that the brothers weren't taking these Spanish lessons as seriously as her. Her anger was directed towards the teacher, who was the only innocent one in this situation. "Will you hurry up and tell them so they'll shut their traps!?"

"Pinche chamacos! It means tits, alright!? Happy now!?"

It only took five seconds for immaturity to kick in. Kakarot dropped his head down on the table and started pounding his fist. Raditz threw his back and pointed at her chichis. No words were coming out as he did it due to his laughter. The young teacher turned bright red and she felt like melting into a puddle right then and there.

To her surprise and relief, Bardock grabbed them both by the ears and dragged them towards the door. Chi-Chi listened to them argue. Knowing Bardock's tone as he said them, the words he was saying had to be curses. She wrote them down in her book just in case her future students uttered those same words to her one day. She then heard some sounds of flesh being slapped, and the door opening and closing. Bardock and Raditz were the only ones to return, but the oldest brother began scrubbing the floor angrily.

The scarred man looked at the poor girl and smiled apologetically. He took a deep breath to get his blood pressure to calm back down and then picked up half of his broken stick.

"Shall we attempt this again without those idiots in the way?"

Feeling her face returning to its normal temperature, Chi-Chi nodded and picked up her pen. Her initial feelings of Bardock were completely wrong. She hadn't known him long, but she respected him already. "Sí!"

"Ah, muy bien!" Bardock raised both eyebrows and clapped his hands sarcastically. "But you still don't know shit. Now that you don't have my son to gawk at, you can focus. Say the letter names after me and don't make me repeat myself if you know what's good for you."

She gulped. Perhaps it wasn't respect, but fear.

* * *

As much as he didn't want to admit it, Kakarot knew he was causing problems for Chi-Chi. Bardock was right to send him out to the town for a few hours while he taught her the language of their new country. That still didn't change the fact it upset him.

It was a short walk to reach the main part of San Mariposa. Kakarot had been looking down at his spurs instead of at his surroundings, grumpy about getting the boot from his dad. It wasn't until his ears picked up a delightful sound that he finally looked up.

In the middle of the town, there was a group of men singing a song while playing accordions and string instruments. The words they released were from the heart, and although Kakarot couldn't understand a word, it moved him. He could feel something inside beginning to stir and his feet were forcing him to go towards the band.

Although the men kept singing and playing, their smiles and eyes provided him a warm welcome. There was already a small gathering they were playing for that was clapping their hands. The men had their hands in their belt loops like his father showed him many years ago. Kakarot shrugged and did his best to copy their movements. Some women had emerged from behind the fountain in the middle wearing pretty dresses that Chi-Chi would like. One by one the dancers took turns showing him how to dance properly. They moved a lot faster than he could but everyone was grinning.

He would occasionally glance up at the spectators who would be shouting, "Baila! Baila! Baila!" And although he didn't know what it meant, it made him want to move faster. Now finding his rhythm, Kakarot flowed evenly with the dancers and soon the crowd who was just clapping had joined in fully. While spinning an older woman around, Kakarot looked at one of the band members playing the accordion.

Maybe he could do that for a living.

"B-Bardock?"

Kakarot froze in place, afraid to turn around and see who had mistaken him for his father. The voice didn't sound angry, but it didn't sound happy either. He really didn't know what to make of it. He urged the woman in his arms to go with someone else and then he turned around slowly to face the stranger.

It was an old man, much smaller than himself with hair white as snow. He wore a gold star on his brown suit, signifying his importance in this town. As the music continued on in the background, Kakarot thought about who in San Mariposa looked like a grandfather and would know his father.

"Oh..." the old man spoke before Kakarot could. "My mistake. You have no scar on your face, but your hair...it's so similar..."

"Are you Gohan?"

The lawman's eyes lit up brightly at hearing his name. "Are you... his second-born son? You couldn't possibly be Raditz. That boy was covered in hair."

"Yeah!" Kakarot beamed, now realizing this man was no threat. "I'm K-..."

"What, son?"

The man had to think real hard about this. Although Gohan was no danger, this could be the first step in starting fresh. He really liked the first part of Gohan's name, and the rest he had to come up with on the spot. "Go...ku. Goku," he smiled wider, enjoying the sound of it. "Goku! I'm Goku!"

"Finally, a normal name from your crazy family!" Gohan chuckled and opened his arms for an embrace. Kakarot didn't even think twice before giving in. The old man patted his back nice and hard before letting go. "I can't believe you're here in my sleepy little town. Is your father near?"

"You wanna go see him!?"

"Of course! We just have to go fetch another old friend of his right quick."

"Well that's good," Kakarot chuckled as he followed Gohan away from the center of town to wherever this friend of his was waiting. "Pops booted me out of the house so he could teach my girl some letters."

Gohan paused in the middle of town to look up at the tall vaquero. "House? As in, you fellas built one?"

"Yessir!"

"How long have you been here without a peep!? Homes aren't constructed in a day!"

Kakarot wasn't sure how much or how little Gohan knew about what had been going on, so he kept the bigger parts of the story to himself. "Pops wanted to keep to himself for a while until it was built. You know how focused that guy can get. I reckon he'll be happier than a dog up a bone tree seeing you admire his work!"

Gohan grinned and motioned for him to follow him once more. They came to a stop in front of the sheriff's office and Kakarot squinted at the poster on the door. He couldn't read the language it was written in, but he did recognize the word sheriff. "Mind telling me what this says?"

"Hm?" Gohan looked at what he was pointing at. "Oh! I'm retiring soon. I'm getting too old for this job and I need a replacement. Say... you aren't interested, are you?"

Kakarot was about to answer when another man's voice interrupted him. He was older than Pops, but not as old as Gohan. "Ay dios mio, is this real? Bardock?"

"No, this right here is his son Goku!" Gohan introduced the two of them and they shook hands. "Goku, this is Tortuga. He and your father go way back. I was just telling Goku that he should try out to be the next sheriff."

Kakarot frowned while Tortuga's smile only grew. He didn't know it was going to be some sort of competition. He thought he'd just be handed the job. "Tryouts? What would I need to do?"

"Just be the fastest gun in the west."

* * *

Raditz could hear the knocking on the door and it pissed him off more than the stubborn mark on the floor. Bardock and Chi-Chi were still in their little study session and weren't going to help him out by answering. He threw his rag down on the floor and stomped to where the noise was coming from. When he opened it, the scowl he wore disappeared immediately.

"Grandpa!?"

"Raditz!"

They embraced one another while Kakarot motioned for Tortuga to follow him. His brother was so overcome with joy that he didn't notice they were messing up his thoroughly cleaned floor with their dirty shoes. Kakarot held up a finger to have Tortuga pause just outside the kitchen to make the surprise even better. He peered in and felt all warm inside seeing his father sitting on the table and helping Chi-Chi write down words in her little book.

"Pops? You have some visitors."

Bardock narrowed his eyes as Chi-Chi closed her book slowly. Both of them were suspicious until Kakarot whistled for the men to come in. Kakarot called Chi-Chi over quickly so they could both watch his father's reaction. Raditz had joined them right before Gohan and Tortuga arrived. When he saw them, Bardock dropped the pen.

His eyes that had become hardened over the course of thirteen years softened immediately. Like a child being reunited with his father, Bardock jumped to his feet and nearly tackled Gohan to the floor. They went backward but Bardock caught his footing so the old man wouldn't end up breaking any bones. His eyes were reddening from holding back the tears that so badly wanted to fall. While holding onto Gohan, he held up his arm for Tortuga to join the group.

Seeing his father so happy made Kakarot's heart soar. This is what their journey had been all about. He hadn't seen a smile like that on his pops since before their ma died. He knew Raditz was thinking the same when his older brother draped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him in close. Kakarot made sure to hold onto Chi-Chi's hand tightly so he was still connected to her.

"I really could've had you around," Bardock was sniffling as he bent down low to be as close as possible to his father figure. "I've gotten into so much shit since you came here. Did you hear..."

"I more than heard, my boy," Gohan sighed and rubbed his back. "I always went back to put flowers on her grave. I never saw you fellas there so I assumed you moved away after it happened. How did sweet Gine come to pass?"

"It hurts to talk about. But I promise I'll tell you everything. Just don't hate me for it."

"I could never hate you Bardock," Gohan moved so he could look up at the worn-out man who had seen far too much in his lifetime. "You don't even need to tell me. I love you and I'm happy you're home."

Not wanting to hear their father cry or spy on the conversation, Raditz and Kakarot took Chi-Chi outside. The messy-haired former Saiyan gave her a kiss on the cheek and smiled when he noticed a tear stain. He wrapped his arms tightly around her from behind and looked at the cacti in the distance. For the first time, it really did feel like he was home.

* * *

"Where's your family at?"

"I didn't tell them. I wanted to surprise them if I win, and if I lose I didn't want to see them disappointed."

"Makes sense," Gohan laughed and went on to explain more of the rules of selecting a sheriff in San Mariposa. "You're going to be shooting cans against your competition. Whoever knocks over the most or is more accurate is the winner. If it's a tie, the observers vote on it. Whoever has the most votes, is San Mariposa's new sheriff! Make sense?"

Kakarot shrugged and ran his fingers along with his father's big iron that never failed him. With Chi-Chi already having a job lined up, the pressure was on for him to do the same. His backup plan was to be an accordion player, but he knew being a sheriff would make her prouder. "So," he whistled lowly while looking around. "Who's my competition?"

"Oh, Goku. You won't be missing him," Gohan turned Kakarot's body so he was facing the east at the tall man approaching. "They call him jirafa, or giraffe in English. His real name is Piccolo, and he's the fastest gunslinger around."

Kakarot couldn't believe what he was seeing. This man had to be close to eight feet tall! The cowboy himself was lengthy, but next to this guy he looked like a dwarf! He couldn't imagine what this guy would look like standing next to Chi-Chi! _"That's_ my competition!? Sake's alive, sheriff! He's twice my size!"

El jirafa chuckled darkly as he stopped in front of Kakarot. The crowd was silenced into oohs and aahs gazing at the size difference between them. They all knew who Piccolo was, but the newcomer had some potential and was already well-liked by some of the community.

"You Goku?"

Kakarot couldn't help but gulp. Even the voice was powerful. He was surprised the man spoke English. "Yeah. You jirafa?"

"Oh, so we're calling each other nicknames now?" Piccolo sized him up and scoffed. "Okay, conejo."

Without taking his eyes off the beast of a man, Kakarot spoke to Gohan through the side of his mouth. "What's conejo mean?"

"Rabbit," Gohan whispered back. "Word got around you have a fast hand."

Kakarot smirked, feeling slightly better now. At least Piccolo knew of his reputation. "May the better man win."

"Don't worry. I will."

The crowd cheered as Kakarot and Piccolo got in their positions. Gohan stood in the middle and told the people something in their native tongue. Piccolo laughed at whatever it was, so Kakarot did the same. He had no idea where this ponytailed man had come from before this, but he was definitely experienced. The gun he had on his hip was very similar to Kakarot's big iron. He was dressed in all black like Kakarot used to be, as well. His skin was even darker than Pops's was and carried a dignified look about him. The former Saiyan wanted to get to know more about him and who he was, but right now he was the enemy.

As Gohan shot up in the sky signaling it was time, Piccolo and Kakarot fired their big irons at the tin cans at a rapid speed that left the crowd in awe. Those that blinked had missed the bullets. All the cans from both opponents were knocked over at the same time. Piccolo glared at Kakarot as the smoke cleared.

"El embustero! I don't know how, but you cheated!"

"I ain't done nothing but good ol' fashion shooting! I think you're the one's deceiving!"

As they growled at one another, Gohan came in between the two to separate them. "Calm down, fellas, calm down! It's up to the townspeople now and they don't vote for vatos locos. Just smile and wait for the results to come in."

Kakarot forced a grin while Piccolo kept his scowl. They would catch each other glaring and look away, only to be glaring at one another again. Gohan walked around with a box and collected the slips of paper that contained the name of the new sheriff. Once he was done, he stood in front of the town and began making two different piles. Once the last one was read, Gohan stared at the piles in disbelief.

"Uh...folks, I don't believe this but for the first time in San Mariposa history, it's a tie!"

"WHAT!?" Piccolo snarled while Kakarot felt slightly offended it was that close. "I demand a recount!"

"It's all right there in front of you, Piccolo. Twenty for jirafa, twenty for conejo. Perfectly even."

While Piccolo clenched his fists tightly and stared at the votes as if he could materialize them into something else, Kakarot had no idea what it all meant. "Do we have a shootout now or something?"

"Oh, heaven's no! You and Piccolo will both be sheriffs, working side by side."

Piccolo knocked the box over and stormed off, but not before snatching the gold badge up from the table that was rightfully his. Knowing no matter the stubbornness the giant showed, Gohan knew he'd report to his first day of work when asked. The old man removed his own badge and pinned it to Kakarot's shirt.

"I believe you said you wanted to surprise some people, right?"

Kakarot grinned and hugged the old man tightly. He didn't intend on sharing duties with someone else, but either way, he had a job and one that would make Chi-Chi proud. He ran all the way from the town to the house, thankful that the distance between both wasn't much at all. He paused at the doorway, out of breath.

After he knocked twice, his brother opened the door with a sneer. "You know you live here. You ain't gotta knock like someone's trying to murder you."

"Can you have Pops and Chi-Chi come here!? I have something to show you!" Kakarot kept a protective hand over the badge to hide it, not being sneaky at all. Raditz rolled his eyes and called out.

"Kakarot's being a nut again! Come see him so he'll stop!"

Taking a break from their last lesson before Chi-Chi would be on her own on Monday, she and Bardock came to where Raditz was. Kakarot still hadn't come through the door yet and was dancing from foot to foot.

"Out with it, boy. What's so important?"

Kakarot jumped into the house and had them back up a few feet when he threw his arms out. He revealed the proof of employment on his chest and spoke loudly, confidently. "You're looking at San Mariposa's newest sheriff!"

It took a moment for it to click, but when it did the house erupted in cheers. Raditz and Bardock hugged and tousled his hair, more than happy for him. The one person he wanted to make the proudest, however, had walked away. He didn't see her face and was unsure of how she felt. He frowned and excused himself from his family to find her.

She was in the bedroom they shared, her back turned to him. With Bardock being old-fashioned, they had to sleep on separate mattresses that would eventually get pushed together after marriage. What Bardock didn't know was that they had been sharing a bed since they got one.

"Darling? What's the matter?"

"Nothing," she turned around to reveal a sweet smile, her face completely clear of any anger at all. "I just didn't want to kiss you the way I want to in front of them."

All of his questions and worries were answered by her actions. The back of his legs hit the bed and they went down with her on top of him, pressing her lips needily on his. She whispered his name when she came up for air and the sound of it made his arms tighten around her to crush her chest against his own. His hand slid up and down her entire backside until his fingers went to her thick hair. He raked through and opened his eyes slowly when she whimpered at his touch.

"So gorgeous," Kakarot brought his hand down to her face and murmured to her lips. "Why do you always have to tease me like this, darling?"

"Maybe I wanted to congratulate you in a special way."

The new sheriff raised his eyebrows while watching her sit up straight on him. Her hands were going straight to his pants but he never found out what she was planning on doing. The sound of knocking on the bedroom door spoiled any chance he had.

"Kakarot! I want to make a cake for you! Do you remember how Ma did it?" Raditz waited a moment and smirked when he heard the couple groaning at the special time interrupted. "Pops said you two are gonna curse this house if you keep acting up! Get out of my brother's bed, Teach!"

* * *

Chi-Chi hadn't felt this nervous since being in grade school herself.

Each time she'd leave the mirror, she'd only return to it again shortly after. Her looks were the last thing she needed to be concerned about, but it always made her feel better knowing she looked good before facing something new. Growing tired of her own judgment, she went to the kitchen where two of the men were telling yarns. They paused when she entered the room, and their automatic silence made her feel self-conscious.

"Is it too much?"

Bardock took a drink from his mug full of black coffee before responding. He cracked a smile after teasing her with an initial grimace that made her frown. "You certainly look the part, Miss Milk."

She still wasn't used to the name she had made up on the spot, but it certainly was better than the children cracking jokes about her bosom. "You really think so?"

"Yeah, Teach. The hat's a nice touch."

Chi-Chi was beaming now, unsure whether or not the hat was overdoing it. It was a straw one with a black ribbon she found so much more divine than the usual cowboy hats. She even learned how to braid her hair to the side to complete the look. "Thanks, Raditz. The sun out here is awfully bright. Hopefully, it functions just as well as it looks."

Raditz, now adjusting well to his new job, lifted the top plate that was keeping Chi-Chi's food covered. "Come get it while it's hot!"

She sniffed the air and the scent of the breakfast made her stomach growl. She hadn't realized she was this hungry. As she sat down to fill her mouth with scrambled eggs, she noticed the chair Kakarot usually sat in was empty. She was about to ask where he was when the worried voice entered her ears.

"Is it too much?"

Hearing him repeat what she had only minutes ago, Chi-Chi glanced up to see Kakarot decked out in his sheriff's uniform for the very first time. She chewed and swallowed slowly as Sheriff Goku waited for any sort of comment.

"What's with the chin strap?" Bardock arched a brow while eyeing the thin material attached to his son's jawline. "Gohan afraid you'll lose it your first day of training?"

Reddening, the new sheriff of San Mariposa rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled nervously. "He said something like that. I swear they treat me like a kid at times. You think they're foolin' me with this getup?"

"What's the other guy's look like?" Raditz questioned with a full mouth, and his brother shrugged.

"I dunno. He's always wearing the same thing," Kakarot brought his line of vision to Chi-Chi and a smile plastered his face. "Look at you, schoolma'am. You look like an angel. Those scamps are gonna fall in love with you."

She blushed at his compliment but it only made it more difficult for her to return one to him. Her eyes widened at the denim underneath his brown tasseled chaps. The only exposed part of his jeans was in between his thighs. The sheriff's uniform was making his bulge look larger than normal and she looked up before any dirty thoughts crossed her mind.

That still didn't help her at all.

The white shirt underneath his brown vest was so tight that she thought his large muscles were going to rip through it. A gold star shined brightly on his shoulder but not as much as his teeth did.

"Like what you see?"

Chi-Chi bit her lip and stared down at her plate while the Son men laughed at her obvious attraction to him. She had been showing it a lot more than usual lately against her own objections. They were what she considered to be in a relationship and she was wondering when he'd finally turn it into more. They both had jobs now, today being their first day. He promised he'd walk her to the school and then head to the office since they were close to one another.

She cleared her throat after swallowing another bite. "You're decent, I suppose."

Kakarot went behind her chair and bent down to wrap his arms around her chest. He kissed her pink cheek softly and didn't let go as he whispered in her ear. "You're gonna be the best teacher there ever was, darling."

Chi-Chi giggled as he continued to give her face kisses in different places. "Stop! I didn't paint myself up like this just to have you mess it up, mister!"

"Mmm," the new lawman caressed her warm cheek and rubbed his thumb against her smooth skin. "You don't even need it."

Bardock rolled his eyes and covered his face with his newspaper. Raditz was too occupied getting his brother's plate ready to see the lovebirds kissing one another repeatedly. Once the sound of it was getting to be too much, the father slammed his fist down on the table and made the lovers jump. "Alright, that's it. I'm making a shed for myself away from the house. God only knows the noises I'm going to hear after the wedding."

His little comment made Chi-Chi pull away from Kakarot and run back to her room to fix herself up again. Kakarot admired her backside until she was out of view and sat down to eat the remainder of her breakfast in addition to his own that was served. Raditz placed a hand on his hip after wiping his hands on his apron.

"How much longer you gonna make that poor girl wait?"

Kakarot stole his father's coffee and downed it before Bardock even noticed. He tried not to laugh when Bardock lifted the cup up to drink and made a face when nothing came out. "I want everything to be perfect like she deserves. You think it's been easy waitin' this long!?"

They had no idea what torture it was to be in bed with her each night knowing he couldn't have her. That tight little ass of hers rubbing against his erection that he knew she could feel because she would moan in her sleep drove him insane. They'd get hot and heavy while kissing but then they'd forced themselves to end it. Sex wasn't the reason for wanting to marry her, but damn was it going to be a perk.

"Come talk to me after work today," Bardock's voice brought Kakarot back to the present. "I have something I want to give you."

Kakarot was going to question him about what that something possibly could be when the sound of Chi-Chi running down the hallway distracted him. She was holding a book against her chest and smiling so innocently. It made him feel slightly guilty for wanting to defile such a precious woman.

"I'm ready," she spoke as sweet as she looked. "Are you?"

The sheriff looked her up and down as he took his last swallow. Her dark hair stood out against her floral shirt that was tucked so neatly into her brown skirt. Whether her face was rosy from rouge or her blushing, Chi-Chi was beautiful to him either way.

"Of course, darling."

Chi-Chi's hand connected with his as soon as he got up. They heard Bardock and Raditz wish them the best of luck as they headed out the door. The teacher and the sheriff walked in silence and enjoyed the view of the saguaros that surrounded the house they built. Kakarot mentioned that Gohan knew about a place not too far away that had palm trees and ocean breeze, neither of which Chi-Chi had ever seen. Keeping her book of emergency phrases pressed against her with her free hand, Chi-Chi looked up at the man she loved proudly only to see him admiring her back.

"I can't believe you actually became a sheriff," she squeezed his hand tighter while thinking of what had brought them to this point in their lives. "I remember when we talked about it after Cold's Ridge and I thought you were crazy. Now, look at us."

Kakarot rested his free hand on his holster while continuing to gaze at her like she was everything he had ever wanted and more. He wanted so badly to grab her face and kiss her as hard as he could, but he didn't want to ruffle her up before meeting her students for the first time. He raised her hand up to kiss instead. "You made me the happiest fella in the world meeting me at the river. I know this isn't exactly what you always dreamed of, darling, but I promise you'll never have to go through anything like that ever again. I love you, Chi-Chi."

He could see her eyes sparkling right before she wrapped her arms around him tightly in an adoring embrace. "I love you, Kakarot. Or should I say Goku?"

"You can call me whatever you wanna call me," he growled into her ear and she felt a shiver run down her spine when his hands touched her hips to pull her in as close as she could get. "Miss Milk."

A variety of elements were making Chi-Chi burn up. "I came up with it on the spot, okay!?"

Kakarot chuckled and rocked her around in circles like they were slow dancing. "It don't matter. Our kids are only gonna hear me call you 'darling'. Shall we continue our walk?"

"I suppose it wouldn't be appropriate to be late on my first day."

"Me either."

Chi-Chi rolled her eyes when she realized he was waiting for a kiss before he'd even think of releasing her. She tilted her head back with her eyes closed and puckered her lips. Kakarot gave her only a little of what they both wanted and found himself holding her hand again. As they continued their walk to the schoolhouse, Chi-Chi talked all about the lesson plans she had in mind for all the different ages in her class. Kakarot did his best to follow along, but he was so distracted by her sweet lips to hear the words that were coming out of it.

Never in all his born days did he think he'd have a chance with a woman like her. Even if his special little lady had made it with her father to Sunnybellow and lived a life of luxury, he had a feeling he'd encounter her there somewhere. He was now certain this was fate, and he loved her so damn much it hurt. He couldn't undo what had happened to Ox or his mama, but he could devote his life to keeping the current smile on her face there permanently.

He was going to ask her to be his wife by the end of the week.

"Ah! Milk! Sheriff Goku!" Principal Pen spoke his native tongue that Chi-Chi and Kakarot needed to translate into their mind. "I didn't know you two went together. What a beautiful couple you are."

As Kakarot struggled to put the words together, Chi-Chi let go of his hand to shake Pen's. She could see children of different sizes playing with a ball near the building. She felt her heart thumping wildly from the butterflies in her stomach. "Is that them?"

The man wiped the back of his neck with his handkerchief to rid the sweat of the hot sun. "Yeah," he laughed nervously. "Beware. They're meaner than they look."

"Nonsense," Chi-Chi waved him off and left the men behind to gather the children around her. As she walked up to the yard, the students glanced at her briefly before snorting and returning to their game. "Excuse me! I'm your new teacher, Miss Milk!"

When the children ignored her, Chi-Chi looked over her shoulder at Kakarot who shrugged his broad shoulder with an apologetic smile.

"Try telling them it's time to start class!"

When she attempted to get their attention again with Kakarot's suggestion, they laughed mockingly and resumed their ball tossing. Chi-Chi returned to her sweetheart huffing.

"Great suggestion, _Goku_."

"Well, you're the teacher darling," Kakarot smirked and crossed his arms over his tasseled chest, covering his badge. "A teacher that dealt with four big bad Saiyans and survived. Those kids ain't got nothing on us. Show 'em how it's done."

Pen didn't understand a word the two were exchanging, but his eyes widened when Chi-Chi rolled up her sleeves and took Kakarot's gun from out of its holster. The principal knew the sheriff was just as surprised based on his expression alone. "Miss Milk! What're you doing!?"

"Wait a minute," Kakarot didn't switch up his language to match Pen's, only leaving the man more bewildered when the sheriff stopped him by sticking his arm out. "I wanna see what she does."

Chi-Chi paused a few feet away from the children as they continued to pass the ball to one another. When the object was airborne, she held up the gun and shot the ball down. The now deflated object fell to the ground as the students stared at it with bulging eyes. It had grown completely silent as the new teacher blew the smoke from the barrel and arched a thin eyebrow.

"Decir, 'Hola Miss Milk'."

"Hola...Miss Milk," the students gulped and formed a line to get inside the small building as she opened the door with a wide grin. As the sheriff and principal approached, they could hear some asking her if she could teach them how to shoot one day for a lesson. Pen adjusted his collar, unsure of how he felt.

"Well, your methods are strange, but you got them to listen. I was a fool to worry about you."

Chi-Chi thanked him and then glanced at Kakarot while the last student entered to take a seat. She slid his gun back inside his holster and patted it gently. "Have a good first day, Sheriff Goku. Don't forget to walk me home."

With a wink, she shut the door and left two stunned men outside.

"Mierda..."

Kakarot knew that word, but he didn't say anything to the man. He tipped his hat to him and ran to his new office instead of walking. He was going to ask that girl to marry him as soon as his shift was over.

* * *

The new sheriff glanced way up at his partner, trying to mimic his stance. Each time Piccolo would catch him staring, he'd growl lowly and cause Kakarot to look away quicker and sweatier each time.

"Alright, vaqueros. Here's the deal," Gohan pointed his thumb over his shoulder to the horses behind him. "Those two broncos back there are Shenron and Porunga. They're just about the fastest colts in the entire country. Tortuga and I are handing them over to you fellas as long as you promise to treat them right."

The four got closer to the horses as they approached the enclosure. Both steeds were tied to the post. One was standing perfectly still, only moving its tail to swat flies, while the thinner one was restless.

"Which one is that?"

Gohan followed Kakarot's line of vision and chuckled nervously. "The smaller one is Shenron. He's fast as all get out but very stubborn. The only person who was ever able to ride him is me. I reckon he's not too keen about me giving him away."

Shenron was wild-looking, and something about that was calling Kakarot forward. He flashed all of his teeth. "I want him."

"Tch," Piccolo rolled his eyes at the eagerness of the newcomer. "You're more foolish than you look if you believe you could ride him."

"You should be thanking me," Kakarot smirked after finally looking away from the snorting Shenron to the other sheriff. "I ain't afraid of a challenge."

Piccolo smirked just the same back to him, knowing his ass was going to end up in the watering trough. He gestured towards the horses with one swift motion. "Be my guest, Goku."

"Don't mind if I do," Kakarot puffed up his chest while adjusting his vest. He turned his nose up at Piccolo and started strolling towards Shenron. While he entered through the gate on his spurs, the three others took a seat on the fence. The horse was already wearing Gohan's saddle from previous rides. The animal was all ready to go, but if he was _willing_ was the question at hand. The former outlaw could hear Shenron's snorts getting louder and angrier the more he closed in. "Easy, boy. I'm your friend."

When he began to coo at the horse, Piccolo chuckled and shook his head. "Este idiota está muerto."

"Don't be so negative," Gohan spoke sternly at first but then lowered his voice to a whisper so Bardock's son couldn't hear. "We haven't had any entertainment in years. I'd like to see how this plays out."

"Hey, hijo!" Tortuga called out with cupped hands over his mouth. "I wouldn't be too quick to take him off the ropes if I were you!"

As soon as the bald man said it, Kakarot had already done it. The horse took one look at him and kicked him in the chest. The wind was knocked out of him, and he landed on his bottom. He coughed as the men howled with laughter. 

"Dadgummed beast." The new sheriff had to pat himself to make sure he was still wearing his badge. His eyes widened when Shenron had turned around to face him, only now rubbing his hooves into the dirt as he prepared for a charge attack. He could've sworn the horse's eyes were red like a dragon.

"Get the hell out of there, Goku!"

Gohan's voice snapped Kakarot back to reality and he scrambled for a bit before finding his ability to stand. Shenron was chasing him to where his true owner was. The imposter tried to hop over the fence in time, but he had become stuck halfway. With his back end still on the horse's side, the animal rammed his head into Kakarot's bottom until he toppled over completely.

Now on his back, Kakarot was looking up at the grinning faces above him and wincing.

"That's a demon horse."

"Nonsense," Gohan chuckled and offered him his hand. He lifted the cowboy to his feet and watched him wipe the dust off his uniform. "He just needs more time to trust you. You can't jump into it right away."

Boy, did Kakarot understand that. Shenron was another Chi-Chi. He had to mentally remind himself never to compare her to a horse aloud. Piccolo had already left them to begin riding Parunga, who immediately trusted him. That dirty bastard must have had practice before.

"Come with me, Goku. I want to show you something."

Almost positive he had a bruised back, Kakarot rubbed it quickly and then followed the old man back into the pasture. Shenron had a hateful look about him when he saw Kakarot, but then calmed himself once Gohan began petting his forehead. The former Saiyan had to admit he was a bit jealous of the way they connected so easily.

"I saved Shenron from an abuser," Gohan spoke softly as if being any louder would spook the animal. "He's the sweetest thing once he loves you. Here, pet him with me."

Kakarot hesitated to touch Shenron so close to his teeth, and Shenron neighed when he saw his hand coming closer, but Gohan calmed them both down by guiding. The old man placed the young one's hand on Shenron's muzzle. He slowly removed his own so it was only Kakarot and Shenron. The sheriff found himself unable to breathe evenly while looking into the round eyes of the creature. Shenron was doing the same.

"There," Gohan smiled as he looked at the two. "Now the training can begin."

The old man's words gave Kakarot confidence as he nodded and removed his hand. Shenron was no longer attempting to chase him around the enclosure. Everything was fine until he got up on the saddle. Knowing that this person absolutely did not belong on his back, the horse started bucking as Kakarot held on for dear life. He was hardly a cursing man but found himself muttering a slew of profanity as Shenron was crazier than any trail Kakarot had ever been on.

After landing inside the watering trough as Piccolo had predicted, Kakarot sat up and spit the dirty water out from his mouth. Piccolo's cruel laughter filled his ears as his partner came to a stop by the soaked vaquero. He was sitting taller and prouder than ever on Porunga.

"Well, conejo, at least there's one good outcome of all this."

"What's that?"

"You now have a reason to get rid of that hideous outfit."

* * *

Bardock could tell Chi-Chi had been crying as she was coming up to the house. Kakarot was nowhere in sight, meaning his shift had gone on longer than expected and she was forced to walk home by herself. She was clutching her little book to her chest with both hands and trying to run past him as he pulled a jalapeño from the stem.

"Hold on, chaparrita. What's with the sniffling? Were the kids being little assholes?"

"No," she refused to face him until she was sure no more tears were coming out. "The students were great after I got them to listen. Kakarot never came for me. I get that he's busy now, and he's doing something great, it's just...Oh, nevermind."

Bardock sighed and got up from the ground, hearing his knees crack as he did. He was getting older and these kids were going to age him rapidly at this rate. "You can't have your cake and eat it too. You either accept Kakarot is a working man and appreciate the time spent together, or have him laze around the house all day long and be at each other's throats."

"Can't there be a happy medium?" Chi-Chi suggested and then hung her head about how ridiculous she sounded. She was the one that wanted Kakarot to get a job in the first place. "Guess I'm just so used to him being by my side for so long it feels strange without him."

"I've been going on over thirteen years feeling that way about my darling," Bardock winked at her when she frowned. "If you really want my advice, don't even mention anything to him. I wouldn't doubt it if he's going through the same emotions as you. You two will find your rhythm. I know it."

There was something about his wisdom and advice that made Chi-Chi be reminded of her own father, and suddenly felt her heart shattering out of nowhere. She dropped her book to the ground so she could bury her face in her hands. She had been putting him in the back of her mind purposely the last few months just to get by, but now she was feeling his loss more than ever.

Bardock also dropped his peppers so he could grab her by the shoulders. She still wouldn't look at him. "If it makes you feel better I could talk to him-"

"It's not about Kakarot!" Chi-Chi cried into her hands and lowered her muffled voice. "It's about my daddy. I've been missing him so much and it hit me out of nowhere."

The father knew the exact hurt she was going through. He pulled her into an actual hug even though she continued to cover her face. "Grief comes in waves. Sometimes you don't know when it'll creep in but when it does it hurts like hell. You learn to live with it."

"You mean this never goes away?"

"Afraid not," Bardock let go of her to pick up her book and then offered her his arm so they could enter the house together. "You have to rely on those around you to get you by. Lucky for you, you've got two other pendejos that live here that know this."

This was the first time Chi-Chi heard Bardock say that word in context. So it really _did_ mean sons. She accepted his arm and also took her book back. They hadn't even made it two steps inside when Raditz appeared out of nowhere with his hands on his hips.

"How many times do I need to tell ya!? Take your goddamn boots off before coming in! I _just_ cleaned this morning and now you're going to scuff it all up!"

* * *

Smoking a cigarette he swore was going to be his last, Bardock could see the other member of the young duo riding up to the porch on a dark horse. Sheriff Goku was holding a lantern up to his head while using his other hand to control the reins. If he couldn't see his father, he definitely could smell the smoke. Bardock watched him as he tied the horse up and rubbed its muzzle before walking up to the porch.

Well, more like limping.

Bardock chuckled at the sounds of his son moaning and groaning in addition to some curse words. He blew smoke as he exhaled. "Ah, the noises of a working man."

Kakarot put his lantern down in front of them on the floorboards before falling into the chair. He leaned his entire body weight against his father and sighed heavily. "Pops, I had a helluva day. Did Chi-Chi get home safely?"

"Yup."

"Was she mad?"

"Sad's more like it."

"Damn it," Kakarot growled into Bardock's shoulder and sighed. "I was gonna ask for her hand today, too! I figured I'd have enough time to pick up a ring today before the jeweler closed, but trying to ride that damn horse took up all the light hours! Besides that, I can't even get her a ring! They ain't gonna pay me for two weeks! Gohan's pullin' my leg, right?"

"Welcome to adulthood, kid. It's called 'Pay Day'."

Kakarot ignored his father's laugh as he pulled away to slump further into his chair. "Least with the Saiyans I made cash right away...Joking!" He held his hands up in self-defense when Bardock's face switched to its serious mode. "I like being called a sheriff. I just wish it didn't take up so much time from Chi-Chi."

Having heard this spiel before from the other one, Bardock knew how to fix it all. He had been waiting on this day for a long time, and Gine had wanted it for whichever son found their love first. She was willing to give it up and Bardock would get her a brand new one. That moment was taken from him, but he could still keep a tradition alive that she dreamt of so badly. Feeling a lump in his throat, the widow coughed and got the attention of his son.

"You okay, Pops?"

"Remember when I told you this morning I had something to give you?"

Kakarot blinked, now straightening up. He could barely recall anything after being tossed around like a ragdoll all day. "What is it?"

Bardock took the cross Raditz had made him years ago from off his neck and unlatched it. A golden ring with a diamond-encrusted white pearl had slipped down and landed in his other hand. He put his cross on his lap briefly so he could take his son's hand in both of his as he exchanged the precious jewelry.

"Do you know what this is?"

Kakarot swallowed hard. Now his throat was hurting. He stared at the ring in disbelief as his father removed his hands. "Yeah. It's Ma's ring."

"She would've wanted this. Trust me."

The son's open palm trembled. He looked at the ring, to his father's face, and back to the ring again until he could find the words to say. When he couldn't, Bardock leaned back into his chair and took another puff of his cigarette while winking.

"Go make her your darling, mi'jito."

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artwork of Sheriff Goku and Miss Milk was done by the amazing @lady_menta on Twitter. El Jirafa and El Conejo was done by @conceptcatart on Twitter. <3


	21. Mariposas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakarot and Chi-Chi tie the knot and begin the start of their intimate relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Renamed the chapter because I found it more fitting. :)  
> Special thanks to my beta, Green_Riot, who always saves my writing.  
> All beautiful artwork done by mi amorcita @lady_menta on Twitter. She's helped me tell this story in so many ways and I am forever grateful. <3

Chi-Chi sat in the back of the room at the desk of one of the older students while he presented his report on the importance of maize. The boy's passion for the crop was so inspiring that it made the teacher stand up and clap her hands loudly at the end.

"Muy bien, Papel!"

The boy blushed as the rest of the class joined in on the applause, but he wore a smile. "Gracias, Miss Milk."

She patted his head as she walked past him on her way back to her desk. She picked up the bell and was about to ring it to end the school day, but a bright light coming in from the opening door distracted her. All heads of the children turned to see who had decided to visit. Their jaws dropped. Even though he wasn't wearing his uniform, they all recognized who the man was.

"SHERIFF GOKU!"

The group of mix aged children surrounded the sheriff, wanting hugs or high-fives. Despite the large bouquet of sunflowers he had in his hands, he managed to give them what they wanted. Chi-Chi couldn't help but sigh in a dreamy way about the way he treated them. He looked to her for some assistance in freeing him.

"Bien mis cariños, clase perdida."

They had let Kakarot go but stood by the door while watching the sheriff make his way to their teacher. When he handed her the flowers, the students began whistling.

"Bésala, sheriff! Bésala!"

When Kakarot did what they asked and kissed her flushed cheek, Chi-Chi snapped at the gawking students. "Vamos, chamacos!"

The sheriff chuckled as the kids hightailed it out of the small building, not wanting to face Miss Milk's wrath. Once the door had closed, Kakarot kissed the teacher on the lips while holding her face in his rough hands.

"Did you have a good day today?"

"It's much better now."

The intensity that came with his next kiss made Chi-Chi's heart flutter. Every single afternoon, he would be waiting outside to walk her home unless he was caught up in something. With him coming inside the schoolhouse and wearing an outfit other than his uniform, Chi-Chi knew today was different. His eyes were confirming that.

"I got out a little early," Kakarot kissed her forehead and finally let go. He handed her the sunflowers and she inhaled their scent deeply before placing it on her desk. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

She spoke to him as she replaced the dead flowers she had in a vase with her fresh ones. "Sure, just give me a second, mi corazón."

Kakarot smiled whenever she called him that. She was slowly turning into his father, speaking a mixture of both languages every once in a while. As the weeks together in San Mariposa continued on, Kakarot was finding himself doing the same thing. He had intended on giving Chi-Chi his mother's ring the night that Bardock had given it to him, but proposing to her in her classroom seemed more fitting. They had been through a lot, both together and before they met, to be in here. It was a reflection of what he loved most about her: her grit.

He had bought a small white box to keep the ring inside of at the same place he got the flowers. He pulled it out as she adjusted the sunflowers to her liking with her back facing him. The sheriff got down on one knee and opened the lid to reveal the pearled ring.

"Chi-Chi."

Miss Milk gasped loudly and brought both hands to cover her open mouth after seeing the position Kakarot was in. She had been waiting for this moment and knew it was bound to happen soon, but she was still shocked. The beautiful ring may have had something to do with it. Before she could tell him anything, Kakarot began.

"Darling, from the moment I saw you I knew you were my girl. I loved you as each day passed, I love you more now, and I will always love you. Will you make me the happiest man there ever was and marry me?"

Through her tears of happiness, Chi-Chi nodded and Kakarot reached up for her left hand. He placed Gine's ring and kissed her hand after seeing how well it fit her finger. He looked up at her beautiful face and smiled while holding her hand.

"Ain't ya gonna say something?"

Catching his sly smile, the teacher dropped down to his level so she could wrap her arms around his neck. He managed to balance on one knee while she kissed every inch of his warm face. "It's about time, cowboy."

He pressed his forehead against hers and grinned happily while lifting her up. He spun her around and stopped when they heard clapping. Chi-Chi's students had been watching everything from the window and were giving them a thumbs up.

* * *

"I don't know why I agree to do this shit with you."

"Because you're my only friend here."

Raditz rolled his eyes while walking arm in arm with Chi-Chi through San Mariposa. They were on the hunt for the perfect dress. It was summer and she had all the time in the damn world on her few months intersession to put the wedding together.

She didn't mind going at his pace. It made it easier to observe what was in the windows of the shops. Raditz had a lot of pesos in his pocket to provide them enough to find something nice. "Do you know if Kakarot has been fitted for a suit yet?"

"For the last time, yes!"

"What color is it?"

"What does it matter!?" Raditz was growing irritated not only from her questioning but from the heat. He needed a drink badly after being forced to walk around for hours with no luck of pleasing the woman. "Do you really need to be color coordinated?"

Chi-Chi didn't have much of it when it came to him, but she put her charm on the best she could and blinked her sad eyes. "Please? If you tell me, I'll pick a dress no matter what at the next stop and you can go have a drink."

That perked him right up. "White," he said quickly. "With some silver studs on it."

"White?" Chi-Chi blinked and stopped walking. She knew that white was a color the rich wore for weddings because of how difficult it was to make textiles in that color, but the pressure was now on to find one knowing Kakarot had it in that color. She forced him into the nearest store and began looking through whatever white dresses they had like a madwoman.

Raditz groaned and sat down on a wooden chair while she disappeared into the changing room. Each time she came out to show him her choices, he gave her a thumbs down, and when he did the same to the final choice she scowled. "What!?" he returned the look. "You told me to be honest!"

"Well be my guest if you think you can do better!"

The long-haired former outlaw stood up to accept her challenge, leaving Chi-Chi and one of the workers to wait for him to return with his choice.

The best man mocked her voice under his breath while searching for a dress that would look good next to his brother's suit. The last thing he thought he'd be doing today was acting as Teach's personal shopper. He finally came across one that was somewhat decent, with pink trim and a flower print on the bottom. Not knowing what it would look like on her body, he shrugged and brought it over to her with a smirk.

"Try this one."

Chi-Chi didn't want to admit it was actually nice and wasn't sure how she missed it the first time. She stuck her nose up in the air and took it from him while he sat back down in the wooden chair. The saleswoman disappeared inside the room with Chi-Chi to help her into the dress. After what felt like half an hour, the door opening awoke Raditz who was starting to drift off.

"Whoa..."

Raditz straightened up as the bride-to-be stepped forward. Her shoulders were exposed as the top of the dress rested comfortably on her chest. Pink ribbon and lace drifted across it, making a bow on both shoulders. At the very end where her feet were hidden, the embroidered flowers really stood out. She spun around and admired herself in the mirrors with a smile on her face.

"I can't believe it, but I think you found the perfect one!"

He sure did. The almost brother-in-law couldn't hide his grin. There were _very_ brief moments where Raditz could see what made Kakarot love her so much and this was one of them. "He's gonna love it, Teach. You look great."

Chi-Chi took another look in the mirror and then back at him. She wanted to hug him, but the tailor was already beginning to do measurements to make sure the dress would be form-fitting. "If you want to wet your whistle, I'll meet you after I'm done?"

Raditz winked and got up again to leave. "I'll pay the owner on the way out."

After that was done, the oldest Son brother left the shop and went to the bar next door called Catina de Los Lobos. He frequented Lobos on the weekends when Chi-Chi had time to help with the cleaning. He limped over to the stool and the barkeep handed him his usual. He downed the whiskey and didn't even flinch at the burning it caused in his throat.

"Out of all the fuckin' places in the world," he heard a familiar voice and froze mid drink after the barkeep refilled his glass. "You have to be in the same town as me."

She wouldn't be crazy enough to whip out a gun in front of the sheriff's brother, would she?

Probably.

Raditz kept his hand on his holster just in case while swiveling his chair around. Launch, in a long red dress and summer hat with no gun in sight, was standing there taking sips from her bottle. He gritted his teeth while glancing around for her cronies.

"How the hell did you find me?"

"Wasn't trying to," she said after drinking. She leaned over to put her drink beside his and took a seat. "Saw you walking around with that dark-haired girl earlier. Didn't take angelicas as your type."

"She ain't my girl," he growled and slammed a fist down on the table. He was still worried about her safety. "Who the fuck else is here?"

Launch finished her beer and burped, earning a disgusted look from the outlaw. "Calm down, stumpy. I'm here alone, on the run just like you are. Robbed a bank back in the states shortly after you bums got away."

Somehow, that didn't surprise Raditz. "You were always a crazy bitch. Why San Mariposa of all places?"

She shrugged her thin shoulders and ran her finger in a circle around the tip of her bottle. "I'm just stopping here on my way somewhere else. Thought the town was pretty. Mariposa means butterfly."

Not sure of the significance to her, Raditz wanted to know more. He still wasn't sure if he could trust her or not and wasn't about to risk the lives of any of his family. "And San means Saint. The hell you getting at?"

Launch didn't know how much of a brain this man had and kept her words simple as she lifted her finger for another drink. "Butterflies mean resurrection. You see one and it's a sign you're where you're meant to be. I followed a butterfly to this place. It was red. Can you believe that?"

"Can I believe a psycho like you would take guidance from an insect? Sounds about right."

The woman kept her eyes on him as she drank again. When she lowered it from her lips, she never broke eye contact. "You put me through a lot of shit, you son of a bitch. You made me a widow to a man I never loved in the first place and embarrassed me by tying me up like that. And yet, I never stopped thinking about you or where you went. I know I'm crazy, but I think even you have to know something is going on for us to meet again."

Raditz slowly grinned as her hand touched his knee. He put his on top of hers and spoke as close as he could get. "I ain't gonna ever marry you if that's what you're thinking."

"No more marriage for me," she replied in the same suggestive tone. "That's for the birds."

As soon as he was about to kiss her, the cantina's doors opened widely and the bride-to-be barged in shouting for her brother-in-law's name. Raditz sighed in annoyance. "Chirp, chirp."

"Raditz! We'll have to come back for the dress in a week! Isn't that exciting!?" Chi-Chi paused in front of the two and lost her smile seeing who the woman was. "H-Hi..."

"Who are you?"

Chi-Chi gulped. After not encountering this woman on Cold's Ridge, the only time she had seen her before was when she was dressed as a man bringing Tien and Lapis back home. "I'm Milk. And yourself?"

Not even caring enough to lie about her name, Launch shook her hand a little too firmly and told her her name. "So you're getting married, huh? You're getting more than a dress, aren't ya?"

Chi-Chi glanced at Raditz, who gave her a look to let her know everything was okay. She pulled up a chair next to Raditz to be safe as she conversed with the tough woman. "I have a tiara, the shoes, the-"

"That's not what I mean. You ever heard of lingerie?"

Humiliated that Raditz was in earshot, Chi-Chi blocked her face from him with her hand. "Yes I have, but that's what you wear underneath. It's not a man's business to know such things."

Launch rolled her eyes at the modesty, somehow knowing there was a tiger hidden underneath those pearls the younger woman wore. "Let's blow this joint so I can show you something I was looking at earlier. I'm bored as hell." Much to their surprise, she pulled money from her breast and left it on the table. She motioned for them to follow her and Raditz held his hands up at Chi-Chi's defensive demeanor.

"What? I know she's a little whacko, but you need a gal in your life. I'm tired of this shit."

"Raditz, you and my fiance killed her _husband_. What if this is some revenge tale and she blows Kakarot's brains out at the altar?"

"Really, Teach?" the brother narrowed his eyes. "You've been reading too many stories. Crappy ones, at that. Who the fuck kills the main character at the end?"

Chi-Chi held her aching head in her hands. "I don't know! Can you just come with us and keep an eye on her? And please don't tell her where we live or anything. Promise."

Raditz patted her back to show he had hers and they met Launch by the door. Chi-Chi smiled nervously at her as they passed by, double-checking to make sure the woman wasn't packing any heat. The man took the spot in between the girls as they traveled further into town to wherever Launch had seen the outfit. Before they entered, Raditz sidestepped in with his hand on his holster in case the baldy was hiding in there.

"For the last fucking time!" the blonde fumed and stamped her foot. "I ain't with nobody! They want me as bad as you!"

Raditz moved his arms to his chest and nodded for Chi-Chi to enter. The entire store was filled with undergarments that neither of them knew could exist. "Where the fuck is this in the states!?" the former Saiyan whistled at a revealing outfit on a mannequin while picturing the blonde in it. "There'd be more babies born if our women had that."

Disbelieving that he had the gall to enter and look around, Chi-Chi kept her hands to herself and eyes on the floor. She didn't even look up when Launch had returned with the outfit she was talking about.

"So? Whaddya think? Sexy huh?"

Grimacing, the young teacher looked up and her face flushed at what she saw. "How do you... Where does everything go?"

"It doesn't!" Launch laughed. "That's the point! You let it all hang out!"

Chi-Chi was going to protest until the end of time, but Launch was already running to the cashier with it.

* * *

"I can't marry them if they aren't baptized."

The young couple couldn't hide their disappointed faces, and Gohan tried again to reason with the preacher. They were sitting inside the most beautiful church Chi-Chi had ever seen, located right on the beach. Everything about it was absolutely perfect and after seeing it, she couldn't imagine getting wed anywhere else. He didn't want to ruin her dream.

"Can someone else do it as long as they confess their wrongdoings? They don't want to be baptized and end up disrespecting your religion, but they are great kids who want to live a life free of sin."

Kakarot and Chi-Chi held on to one another's hands tightly as the preacher racked his brains for a good while before sighing.

"It shall be done. If you can get yourself ordained in time, you may marry these two inside my church. Their confessions must start now, and I'll begin with the girl."

Sweating, Chi-Chi let go of Kakarot's hand after celebrating and followed the preacher to the sanctuary. Left behind, Gohan looked at Kakarot with wide eyes. "Are you sure you want _me_ to marry you two!?"

Left alone in the pews, Kakarot patted the old man's back. "Of course, Grandpa! It's a family event, after all, and you're the reason we have our last name! In fact, I can't imagine anyone better."

Gohan smiled warmly at Kakarot and they could hear Bardock and Raditz arguing about something outside. "You should go check that out. I'll wait here for Milk."

Kakarot rubbed the back of his neck while chuckling nervously. With Gohan being the officiant, he'd marry them under their fake names. They still hadn't told him the full story and history of the Saiyans. He opened the door and inhaled the scent of the ocean with a wide grin while stretching his arms. Bardock and Raditz were standing a few feet away, both with their arms crossed and backs to one another.

"What's wrong, now?"

"I'm trying to plan your bachelor party and Pops said a brothel is inappropriate! Don't you want one last look at a pair of tits before you're stuck with those forever?"

"Pinche cabron!" Bardock snapped and smacked him loudly on the back of his head. "Talking like that in front of God's place. I'll be surprised if you don't burn up in flames stepping foot inside."

"Sorry brother, Pops is right on this one. I'd rather have a drink or two at Lobos with you guys and Piccolo then call it a night."

Raditz shook his head at his brother's righteousness while Bardock nodded in approval. "You're no fun, _Goku_. I want Kakarot back."

Ignoring him, the younger brother looked to the father still grinning. "The preacher's gonna let Gohan marry us here! Isn't that exciting? Chi-Chi and I just need to confess our sins, but I'm a little worried to say all mine."

Bardock looked back at the church doors that were still closed and motioned with his head for his boys to follow him. "Come. I want to talk to you both about something."

The three Son men kept their hands in their pockets as they walked along the sand. This was the first time any of them had ever seen the ocean and they paused to admire it. The sun shone down on the water to make it look like a crystal. Bardock took a deep breath in and out before finally speaking.

"Damn I wish your mother could see this."

Kakarot and Raditz looked at one another sadly. They hadn't heard him bring up Ma in a long time. They were suddenly feeling the heavy loss around them without her there. If she was here, she would be crying tears of joy at the beauty. Bardock ran a hand down his face and continued.

"Look, I know I wrote it down but I haven't said it. I love you both and I am proud to call myself your father," he pulled them in under both arms while they began sniffling. "Even though you're both pendejos."

As they stood connected to one another, a butterfly landed on Bardock's hair unnoticed.

* * *

"Oh, wow!" Chi-Chi's eyes widened as she sized up the other sheriff of San Mariposa. She had heard the rumors he was close to being eight feet tall, but didn't believe them until he struggled to get inside their house. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Milk."

"I know who you are," Piccolo caught himself when he sounded a bit too gruff and cleared his throat. He decided to add some charm to his words to make up for it. "Your house is...clean."

"Hey!" Raditz growled as he put his coat on. He was decked out for his brother's last night as a single man. "Don't thank her! This was all my hard work!"

Piccolo didn't want to question the strange customs of people from the states. He brought his attention back down to Goku's wife and attempted to smile, not knowing how unnatural it looked on him. "I apologize that I won't be able to attend the wedding. Somebody has to play sheriff around here."

Kakarot reached a hand up and knocked Piccolo's hat off his hat as he entered the room. Chi-Chi could smell his cologne from a mile away and she frowned. "You promise you're just going to Lobos right? Not some dirty place?"

Her betrothed grabbed her face and kissed her roughly, making a loud smack when he pulled away. He loved when she'd get flustered. "Darling, I've been waiting nearly two years for what's going to happen tomorrow night. I ain't stupid enough to ruin that."

"Alright chamacos, break it up," Bardock appeared in the room and now all those a part of the bachelor party were ready to go. Gohan and Tortuga were waiting in the stagecoach for Chi-Chi and her little female friend that was running late. "Raditz, where's la rubia?"

The son shrugged. "How the hell am I supposed to know?"

"Don't you two go together?"

"We fuck by the saguaros sometimes but that's about it. I don't keep chains on her."

"Eres un puto!?" Bardock got in his face as Raditz rolled his eyes for the nth time. Chi-Chi, Kakarot, and Piccolo stood back and let them handle it. "You're damn near thirty and still haven't settled down! And the hell kinda woman you involved with to be okay with that!?"

"You got a problem with me, old man!?"

The voice of la rubia caused Bardock to jump. He turned around to see Launch in the doorway with a hand on her hip. The father gritted his teeth, always trying to be respectful to the opposite sex even when they didn't deserve it.

"When did you get here?"

"Just now," she smirked knowing he wasn't fond of her. "You know, Raditz never told me how handsome you were for being close to fifty. Good for you. Good for us, eh?"

Chi-Chi blushed when she winked at her. She wasn't sure how she found herself heading off to the oceanside with her tonight for a small bachelorette party, but she was. Knowing that Bardock was as uncomfortable as she was, Chi-Chi called him over to follow her into the kitchen. Once they were alone, she asked him what had been on her mind.

"I'm sorry if this is strange, but my family's tradition is to have the father walk their daughter down the aisle, and um," she rubbed her arms up and down, suddenly feeling self conscious to ask this favor. "I was wondering if you could do that for me."

"I thought I was already doing that," Bardock laughed when she smiled in relief. "You never have to ask me to do things like that for you, chaparrita. You're like a daughter to me. If only my other son could find someone like you."

Chi-Chi could hear Raditz and Launch cracking jokes about Piccolo, followed by the sheriff's snarls and Kakarot's laughter. "She's not all that bad once you get used to her personality. Just give her a chance."

Bardock mumbled something under his breath and then ruffled the top of her head. "Well, you go have fun with la loca. I'll keep an eye on Kakarot tonight."

After saying goodbye to Bardock, Chi-Chi attempted to kiss her husband-to-be one more time before they were apart for the night but Launch and Raditz kept them apart to make their reunion tomorrow more special. Chi-Chi waved goodbye to him sadly through the window of the stagecoach and then settled her eyes on the blonde woman across from her.

"Did you decide on how you want me to do your hair tomorrow, schoolma'am?"

Chi-Chi tapped her finger against her chin and thought for a minute. She really loved how her bangs had grown out long enough to have them get curled out into the rest of her hair, but she also loved the idea of having her hair up like a princess from another country. The pearls she had gotten herself would stand out more, plus Kakarot seemed to like her neck being shown.

"I think I'll wear it up," she placed her hands in her thick hair and lifted it. "With flowers and the tiara. Can you do something like that?"

"I'll give it a shot," Launch gave her a thumbs up. "What do we have planned for tonight? Male prostitutes? Strip poker?"

Chi-Chi clutched her pearls and shook her head. "No! We're just having a nice quiet night in the hotel room."

Launch groaned and threw her head back. Luckily she could turn any boring event fun. The stagecoach stopped and the men assisted the women in bringing their belongings to the hotel room. Chi-Chi was careful of where she put her wedding dress and hung it on the wall. Gohan and Tortuga hugged her and wished her well before heading to their own separate rooms. After they were gone, Launch took a banana and two oranges that were on the table as a welcome present and instructed Chi-Chi to watch her.

"I know you're big on writing, so get your little notebook if you need it. I'm going to give you a few pointers for your night with hair boy tomorrow."

"What!?" Chi-Chi was mortified and covered her ears. "No! I'm not comfortable talking about such things!"

"Aw, don't be such a prude. Who else is gonna show ya!?"

She had a point. Chi-Chi frowned and lowered her hands to her lap. At least nobody was around to hear. "Fine. Why do you have fruit?"

"This," she held up the banana. "Is Carrot's dick."

"AH!" Chi-Chi grabbed a pillow to hide her face from shame. She squealed into it as Launch arched a thin eyebrow at her. "Don't talk like that!"

"Oh, sorry. _Kakarot's_ dick. I'm assuming he's packing a shotgun like his brother, so-"

Chi-Chi watched in horror as she demonstrated how to perform fellatio on a man gifted in that department. When that was all over, she started going around the room showing her the different positions she could try. 

"I...I thought there was only one..." Chi-Chi was overwhelmed. She had only had sex once and it was over within minutes. There wasn't more to it than that, was there? "How am I going to remember all this?"

Launch got down on all fours on the carpet and shook her head. "Don't stress, it'll give you wrinkles. This is the only one that really drives Raditz crazy. You look like this," she pretended to be the man in the situation. One leg was hitched and she was pretending to smack the woman's butt as she jirated. "And he looks like this. You just need to make sure he doesn't stick it up your-"

"Oh Lord forgive me..." Chi-Chi closed her eyes again and tried to tune her out but she was now making the noises to accompany the movements.

* * *

The table inside Lobos was full of empty glasses and there was only one thing Kakarot wanted to do.

The sheriff had requested the band from his first day in town to play music and he was ready to dance.

Raditz, just as drunk, and Piccolo, who hadn't taken a sip, booed him loudly as he failed to match the rhythm. After placing his empty mug down, Bardock stumbled over to where his son stood lonely on the dance floor.

"Mi'jito ito ito ito," he slurred and taught his son the proper form to dance to this specific type of sound. "You never pick up your feet. You shuffle them along. "

Watching his father and brother dance caused Raditz to glance at Piccolo. "Dance with me, jirafa."

"Not in your life."

"Fuck you, I'll do it myself then."

Piccolo kept a straight face for a while, but it soon turned into a smirk, and then short laughter as the men sang off-tune. The groom was now making up his own jig after the father had blacked out on the floor. Raditz was spilling beer all over the place as he spun around in circles.

"PICCOLO!" Sheriff Goku screamed even though they were only a few feet away from one another. "I'M GLAD YOU'RE MY PARTNER!"

Help him, the idiota was growing on him as time passed on. The ponytailed-haired man saluted him and raised his glass of water. "Likewise, conejo."

* * *

Bardock found the hotel room that Chi-Chi and Launch had spent the night in. After providing proof of who he was, he was told the room number and made his way upstairs. He rapped on the door three times until it opened up.

"Hey, handsome! You won't believe how good she looks!"

The father chuckled at the brassy female and looked her up and down. She cleaned up well and was actually dressed modestly for the sacred event. Raditz would be disappointed in losing the bet they made. "Is she ready?"

"I dunno," Launch looked over her shoulder and shouted. "Milk! You ready!?"

"Almost! He can come in!"

Launch opened the door fully and allowed Bardock entrance. The scarred warrior felt a lump in his throat seeing the bride adjusting her tiara in the mirror. She saw him staring at her in the reflection and turned around to show him what had taken all morning to get ready.

"Do I look okay?"

"You're beautiful," Bardock finally said and took her hands in his own while looking down at her made-up face. "You sure you want to marry my kid?"

Chi-Chi laughed and nodded. She was more than ready for it. Bardock carried her once they got to the exit of the hotel so her dress wouldn't get dirty. They sat in the back with Launch as Tortuga brought them to the church. There was something the former inmate wanted to tell the teacher, but he didn't want to ruin her face by making her cr. He sat in silence as the women discussed their future plans of having an outing in San Mariposa. It took a while, but Bardock was coming around to this Launch girl. She was a good friend to Chi-Chi and made Raditz happy.

Even if she was crazy.

When the stagecoach had stopped, the door was opened up by Raditz who was dressed in the same black suit as his father. He looked at Launch before the bride and whistled at her.

"Damn, ain't I lucky?" The best man kissed her hand as he helped her down and then he kept his grin helping Chi-Chi down. "You already got him nervous waiting in there, Teach! You're about to give him a heart attack!"

She smiled at his compliment and got up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Tortuga had gone on ahead to let those inside know the party was finally here. The music began playing from inside and with linked arms, Raditz and Launch had entered through the doors. Chi-Chi and Bardock stood and waited for their cue. As they did, Bardock decided he needed to tell her now so she knew.

"Mi'jita."

"Yeah?"

"Your father would be more than proud of the woman you became. I'm honored to be standing in his place today. Just thought you should know," Bardock's eyes widened when he heard her begin to sniffle. "I didn't want you to cry. I was just thinking about how I would feel if you were my daughter."

Fighting back the tears, Chi-Chi clung to his arm tighter. Nobody could ever replace her daddy, but the man walking her down the aisle was similar to him in a lot of ways. "Thank you," she nodded and took a ragged breath as the music changed. "That's our cue."

"Let's get you married."

As they began walking, a butterfly had followed them in and lingered on Chi-Chi's tiara for a while before fluttering off.

* * *

Kakarot's heart skipped a beat when she entered the church.

It wasn't her beauty that did it, because she looked beautiful all the time.

The memories he had shared with her since they met came rushing over him as she got closer. From the scared, lonely girl in the back of the stagecoach to the resilient gunslinger, to a teacher, and now his bride. He could fight back the tears no longer thinking about all the obstacles they had had to battle and how much he absolutely loved her. He could feel Raditz hand on his shoulder to stop him from shaking too much.

She hugged Bardock and kissed his cheek before they parted ways. Chi-Chi stood in front of him and grabbed his hands as Gohan began speaking of love and marriage. They missed a lot of what was said as they looked into one another's eyes. It wasn't until Bardock was told to exchange words that they snapped out of their trance. They looked to him as he began to offer his advice.

"Don't screw this up, son. She loves who you are now at this moment, but you have a lot of growing to do still. Many men lose sight of who they are. They fall into negative emotions that lead to her losing trust and respect for you. Be the man you are now, the one that she needs. Love her. Talk to her. Be open. Cry with her. Surround yourself with good men like you who are on the same path. I'm one of those men and I will be the rest of your life," Bardock sighed heavily after reading his speech and put his note inside the pocket of his coat. "I love you, mi'jito."

Kakarot mouthed a thank you, unable to vocalize the words. His father winked and took a seat. To their surprise, Raditz offered his advice to the bride.

"Teach, if you and my brother survived what you did together, you'll survive any of the tough times together. You've made him better than he was before and I'm thankful you two crossed paths despite the given situation. You've changed all of our lives. I know if I'm ever blessed with nieces or nephews, they'll be the happiest kiddos ever having you to guide them. Please keep loving my dumb brother the way that you do. You're my sister and always will be."

With tears streaking through her blush, Chi-Chi squeezed her groom's hands and silently thanked her brother-in-law with a smile.

After everyone was seated, Gohan cleared his throat and had them repeat the sacred vows after him. They didn't have time to write their own and didn't need to. They knew how strong they felt for one another.

"I do," Kakarot said with his chest, proudly to be hers.

"I do," Chi-Chi repeated.

"Mr. and Mrs. Son, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!"

An eruption of cheers came from the small crowd as Kakarot dipped his wife and kissed her like she deserved to be; lovingly and passionately. They walked down the aisle, now as one, waving goodbye to their friends and family as they awaited the stagecoach outside. The church bells rang wildly, signifying the new union. As the beautiful sound touched their ears, Chi-Chi held onto her husband's hand tightly.

"I can't wait to start my life with you."

His other hand rested on the small of her back to pull her in closely while seagulls flew high above their heads. He was holding onto his entire world. Her eyes were set on Tortuga coming back with the stagecoach full of their belongings for their honeymoon but he kept his own on her. He was the lucky man who was going to be able to kiss her whenever he wanted to.

"It started from the first day, darling."

* * *

Waiting for the honeymoon hut to be finished, the newlyweds were riding up to a saloon near the ocean. They had taken turns changing their outfits inside the stagecoach, not wanting to spoil the surprise for what was to come. The groom stood outside the door of the stagecoach and held on tightly to his bride's hand as she stepped down to be with him.

Kakarot lifted up his hand so she could twirl around for him. Her red and white dress spun with her. In addition to her hair still up and decorated with flowers and the tiara, she looked just like the princess he always knew she was.

And she was all his.

They didn't let go of one another's hand as they entered the saloon. The people of this town didn't know them, but they stepped aside as they walked by like they were famous. The patrons stared in amazement at the beautiful couple who spoke no words to one another. The sheriff and the teacher made their way to the semi-vacant dance floor where men with accordions and guitars provided soulful tunes.

Chi-Chi trusted him with what to do.

His hands glided to the small of her back, holding her around the waist. Their torsos and chests were touching as he whispered down to her.

"Hold onto my neck and put your right leg in between mine."

The heat coming from both of them was intense as Chi-Chi got into the position she needed to be in. Her left leg was on the outside while that right one was connecting with his inner thigh. Their knees, hips, and chests stayed together as Kakarot led them. They shuffled their heeled feet on the tiles and moved in their own small circle. Chi-Chi's cheek was touching his and she was inhaling the scent of his special cologne he had purchased just for today. It was intoxicating.

Kakarot was becoming drunk off the scent of her hair, which smelled like the flowers she wore. He groaned into her skin feeling the warmth coming from inside her as it pressed against his thigh. He lowered his hands slowly until they were hovering just above her bottom. She didn't know if it was the wine from the wedding that made her say this, especially since they were in public, but she found herself whispering, "You can hold me there."

They kept moving at the rhythm the band had created as his hands gripped her ass tightly. He gazed at her parted lips and when she licked them, he gave her a taste of his own. They danced on while his tongue swirled around hers. Her eyebrows went up as she felt him getting hard, but she kept her eyes closed. The length of what she was feeling made her moan into his mouth.

Not able to take any more of this, Kakarot broke their kiss apart to growl into her ear. "Let's go."

The newlyweds left the crowd of dancers who were too lost in the music to notice them. Chi-Chi held onto his hand tightly as they rode to the hut. Kakarot picked her up before she could move on her own and carried her to their week-long home. He threw her down onto the bed and never lost the lustful look in his eyes that he had while they were dancing.

Propped up on her elbows so she could get a good glimpse of him, the young bride heard herself gulp. He had that outlaw look about him that wanted to claim what was his.

She didn't want to fight it this time.

She wanted to give him anything he desired.

"What do you reckon we'll do tonight, vaquero?"

Her husband smirked while eyeing every inch of her. He wanted to spend their first night here exploring her body and seeing what she loved the most. Then he would spend the rest of the week doing it again and again and again.

"If you keep talking to me in that sexy little voice of yours, I won't last long enough for you to find out."

Chi-Chi bit her lip as Kakarot lifted up one of her legs. He was removing her boots and tossing them over his shoulder. He got down on his knees the same time she sat up straight. Her dangling feet were being massaged by his strong hands. She lolled her head back at the sensation of all her pain being rubbed out. Her husband noticed the hitch in her breath and grinned wickedly.

"You like that?"

"Mmhm," she breathed out and then furrowed her brows when her head came back down to see him. "This better not be all we're doing tonight."

"That's my girl," Kakarot winked and stood back up. He wanted to rip those clothes off her body but knew it would be better watching her do it. She had undressed in front of him on multiple occasions, but he kept his word of never sneaking a peep. Even that night at Cold's Ridge when he could feel her bare skin against him, Kakaot was true to his word. Now that she was his wife, that was all going to change. "I've been dreaming about making you feel good for a long time, darling. Take that dress off so I can show you."

Chi-Chi's entire body went limp at his dark tone. He could make her do anything when he wanted to. For once, not wearing anything underneath the dress she had on because she knew what the night entailed, she got off the bed and lifted the thick material from the hem. She pulled it over her head and dropped it down to the floor. She was left standing in her white corset and underwear.

"Mind helping me take the rest off?"

Kakarot stepped back when she turned her back to him for assistance. He raised his hand up high in an attempt to harshly smack what he was staring at but controlled himself enough to lower it back down. Tonight wasn't about being rough. Chi-Chi wanted a man with a slow hand and a healing touch. He started undoing her corset, and after it fell to his boots he ran his hands up and down her exposed skin. He rubbed the top of her shoulders and slid down to the shoulder blades. She threw her head back and groaned lightly. Looking at the flowers in her updo, Kakarot continued to massage her back.

With her knees now buckling, Chi-Chi didn't know how much more she could take. His hands felt _so_ good on her backside, she wanted to see how well he'd treat the front. She turned around and smiled shyly at his reaction. His eyes widened and the grin that grew across him was larger than any she had ever seen before. He threw both of his fists up in the air and cheered.

"You like that?" she giggled after mocking him from earlier and winked.

What the hell did she mean _like_!? Kakarot pushed just above her breasts to lower her back down on the bed. He went with her and sat on her hips. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply while raising his hands in the air.

"What are you doing!?" Chi-Chi laughed again as he opened his eyes. He was now rubbing his hands together, preparing himself.

"I've been wanting to do this for a looooooong time, darling."

He squeezed the air first before directing that action to her breasts. As good as it felt, Chi-Chi was more amused than turned on by his excitement. Her new husband was having the time of his life.

"Your name really suits you."

Losing her smile while Kakarot thought his comment was the most hilarious thing in the world, Chi-Chi punched the part of his arm she could reach. "What did I tell you about those stupid jokes!?"

Kakarot's laughter faded, and his smile lessened slightly while lowering his voice to a dangerous level. His thumbs roamed over her nipples and wiped that anger right off her face. "I'm sorry Miss Milk," he whispered as he went to her neck to kiss it. "I'm so fucking happy you're all mine."

Hearing the curse word that so very rarely escaped him, Chi-Chi jolted and then gasped when he started sucking on the delicate skin. She dug her nails into his fully clothed back, wanting to feel his flesh.

"Why am I the only one naked?" She panted out and Kakarot chuckled against her neck.

"You still have your underwear on. This is all about you right now," Kakarot loved the way her lips were pouting while moving to see her face. "We'll get to me later."

"Can you do what you just did to..." she pointed at her chest that was being crushed by his hands and blushed at her own suggestion. He _did_ say it was all about her.

"Yes ma'am," he husked and adjusted himself so he was staring at her swollen breasts. He kissed the space in between as lightly as he could to gather her reaction. Her whimpers were letting him know to continue.

The bride arched her back when the groom began to suck on the tender areas surrounding her nipple. She clung to his hair and pulled when the suction was getting stronger. "Mi corazón," she mewled and Kakarot grunted at the sound of it. The feelings he was sending through her were bringing her back to a wet dream she had months ago. "Go lower."

His eyes shifted from the red marks he left on her to her flushed face. She was begging him for it, and he wasn't the kind of man to disappoint her. He kissed her sweetly on the lips first, then went to her chin down to her neck. His quick kisses continued down her side until he reached her ribs. He ran his tongue down the natural curve her body made and she writhed at the contact.

Chi-Chi cried out when he bit her hip. He must have taken the noise in the wrong way because he brought his head up quickly with a look of concern.

"Was that too much?"

"Do it again."

Kakarot sighed in relief and went back to work, doing what he was told. As his teeth and lips continued on to where her underwear rested, he paused at the frilly material and glanced up to make sure it's what she really wanted. She was nodding her head furiously, silently telling him to do it already. He smirked and pulled her underwear down to her ankles and she flicked her foot to send it to where the rest of her clothing laid.

"Just say the word and I'll have you seeing stars."

Having the oddest sense of deja vu, Chi-Chi held in her breath while lifting up her head to stare at him. Kakarot's fingers were running up and down her thighs that he had spread apart. His looks switched from her most sensitive area to her face, back and forth slowly waiting for her response. Unlike her dreams, she didn't need to confess her love for him as he already knew how strongly she felt. The handsome cowboy, her husband, was here in person and ready to fulfill her needs.

"Taste me."

Riled up worse than an untamed bull at her dirty talk, Kakarot didn't waste any time getting to where he wanted to be. He delved his tongue inside of her and played with every inch. He stuck it in deeper at the sound of her moaning. With his head keeping her legs apart, he slid his hands underneath her to hold onto that ass he'd been wanting to squeeze for so long.

Chi-Chi's hands held on tightly to the sheets as her husband lapped at her wetness. In between her sounds of pleasure, she managed to say one word.

"Faster."

Not defying her command, Kakarot was holding onto her as tightly as he could to the point his nails were cutting into her skin. His tongue worked rapidly to lick her juices, relishing in the sweetness of it. He didn't want her to exhaust herself this way. He wanted her big moment to come when another part of him was inside her. He brought his mouth away and spoke hotly against her.

"I love the way you taste, but I can't take much more of this."

Chi-Chi couldn't, either. She brought her up once more to see him licking his lips and getting up to take his clothes off. Through her lightheadedness, she sat upright and watched intently as Kakarot unbuttoned his white shirt. She was never going to get tired of the sight of what he had hidden underneath. She got up so she could trace the outline of his abs and play with his defined pectorals.

As she explored the parts of him she had seen before, Kakarot's hands rested on his belt and he took a minute to admire the woman who had her delicate hands all over him. Her updo had fallen apart and left her with long black curls. Her flowers and tiara remained on the bed. He put his free hand behind her neck and leaned down to whisper to her painted lips.

"You don't know how beautiful you are, darling."

Aching, the bride moved her hands down to his belt and pushed his out of the way. She removed the belt and started to undo his pants. He groaned against his will when she attempted to undo the zipper against his enlarged bulge. Never knowing his big iron's full potential until it was erect, sweat began to pour down her brow. The size of it was surely going to do her in. Kakarot would become a widow the same day he wed.

"What is it?"

Chi-Chi glanced up to see his cocky grin, knowing he knew what had stunned her. Not wanting to be considered a coward after everything she had been through, Chi-Chi swallowed hard and cracked her knuckles above her head. "Alright cowboy," she dropped to her knees and began undoing his pants. "I'm going to wipe that look right off your face."

She already had before her mouth engulfed his cock in the wet heat of her mouth. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he did his best to keep from falling over from the sensation of her swirling tongue. Her hands and lips worked together as one to move up and down his erection. He looked down at her through one eye to see her staring fully at him, a mixture of sweet and sinful. How a gal as innocent as her knew how to do this, he had no idea. All he understood was that he wanted more.

Pleased with the way he was watching her, Chi-Chi closed her eyes and continued to suck on him with lips red and swollen. She paused to smile when the cupping of his testicles with her other hand made him curse aloud.

Chi-Chi's eyes popped open and widened as his hands clung to the back of her head and he forced himself all the way into her mouth. Her arms were left flailing freely as he did what he promised. The tip touched the back of her throat repeatedly until she started gagging. She gasped for air once Kakarot pulled himself out, but she didn't have much time to gather herself before he picked her up over his shoulder and slammed her down on the bed. His hands went to her ankles to drag her to the edge. Kakarot put his hands on the sides of her ass as he stood in between her legs that straddled him.

Kakarot watched her with a predatory gaze as she propped herself up with her elbows to return his heated stare. His last name was now attached to this perfect woman. He was going to make sure she felt every inch of his endless devotion all week long.

Chi-Chi arched her hips as he sank into her. He wouldn't stop staring at her like she was everything he had ever wanted, and she was doing the same despite how badly she wanted to faint from his length as it slipped in and out. It hurt in the best way possible. He was trying to be gentle but she was ready to handle him. She overcame her lack of oxygen to give her command.

"Harder."

Her breasts were jiggling faster as he picked up speed. He saw her eyes drift down from his face to where his cock was disappearing into her body. He knew by that approving smile that she was satisfied. It motivated him to pull her hips down harder and set a fast-paced rhythm. Her naked body screaming out his real name in addition to Spanish terms of endearment added to the pressure building up inside. As he crossed the threshold he closed his eyes at last letting it all out inside of her at steady intervals.

The bride could feel him quivering inside of her, and as he continued pumping everything he had been holding back, Chi-Chi felt a strange thrill rippling through her. Sake's alive, she closed her eyes and could see the stars. "Kakarot..," her voice was high pitched as she moaned out her vaquero's name. "I love you." Soft flames melted her as the spring, coiled tightly for far too long, was released.

The husband slowly smiled once he caught his breath. He held onto her legs and rested inside of her, pulsating. She put her arm on her forehead to wipe off the sweat. Her ample chest was drenched and glistening under the dim light of the lanterns. He could get used to seeing her like this.

"I love you, darling."

* * *

"What's it called?"

"That fella with the cart said it's a tamale. You have to take the outer part off and eat the inside."

Chi-Chi was told a little too late and looked at her husband in disgust as she spit out the corn husk onto her cloth napkin. As he laughed at her, she unwrapped the food and used a fork to take some of the edible pieces. She chewed it for only a second before moaning in approval. "Mmm! That's so good!"

Kakarot arched an eyebrow. He had heard that phrase uttered multiple times over the last few days. They were on the last day of their honeymoon, enjoying it together on the sands of the beach while eating lunch on a blanket. They would be leaving first thing in the morning to return to San Mariposa as Mr. and Mrs. Son, a sheriff and teacher, and begin their life of forever together.

The bride had something special in her suitcase she had been waiting for this particular day to wear. She was still a little embarrassed by it, but Launch _did_ say Kakarot would be head-over-boots for it. The blonde's advice hadn't led her astray yet. Chi-Chi waited for Kakarot to finish his fourth tamale before clearing her throat for his attention. "I think we'll need to change before we go dancing tonight. You brought your sheriff's uniform, didn't you?"

"Geez, darling," Kakarot slowly put down his fork while smirking. "That getup really does something to you, huh?"

Chi-Chi blushed and looked at the waves crashing into the rocks. Even though their clothes wouldn't be staying on long, she wanted them to match for a little bit. "Everything about you does something to me."

Kakarot crawled across the blanket to get to her. He caressed the side of her face and kissed her twice. "I was thinkin' before we go, we could finally have some of that tequila Gohan gave us."

She pursed her lips at the thought of alcohol, never the one to have had a good relationship with it. "Oh, I don't know... Isn't that stronger than whiskey?"

The cowboy shrugged and draped an arm around her. She snuggled against his chest while they felt the ocean breeze on their skin. "I dunno. Never tried it. You ain't got nothing to worry about, darling. We have nowhere to be." Secretly, he wanted to experience that frisky version of her now that it was acceptable. He wondered just how crazy she could get if he allowed it.

"I'll see," she finally said while sighing contently. Being in his arms, looking at the ocean underneath the palm trees, was more than enough for her. "You'll have to drink it first and let me know."

"Deal," he squeezed her tightly and started humming the tune to the song they danced to when they first arrived. "Ay, mariposa de amor. Mi mariposa de amor...Hey, you ever notice that song and our town have the same name? You know what Pops told me about butterflies?"

Chi-Chi glanced up at him, curious. "Tell me."

"He said they're angels with messages from the spirit world," Kakarot shook his head while glancing up at the cloudless sky. "When you see one, it's a sign from a loved one showing you the path or letting you know it's all going to be alright."

Having the urge to kiss him, Chi-Chi did just that and smiled sadly at his face while he continued to search the sky. "So they represent hope?"

Kakarot breathed in the scent of his wife's floral perfume and buried his head into her shoulder. "I'd like to think so," he mumbled with a smile into her skin. "Give me a shout if you ever see one, will ya?"

She closed her eyes and held him tightly. "Of course. You do the same."

As the couple embraced in the sand down below, two butterflies fluttered around them before disappearing towards the sun.

* * *

Later that evening, Kakarot put the bottle of tequila along with two shot glasses, limes, and salt, on the table. He had demonstrated how Gohan told him to take the shot so the taste wouldn't be so strong. The alcohol still sent a shiver down his spine even after sucking on the lime. He coughed and held a glass up to Chi-Chi.

"Your turn!"

"No way! Look at you! You look like you're about to faint!"

Kakarot shook his hatted hair in denial and took a drink of water from the glass bottle near him to drown the taste. "It's not that bad."

Chi-Chi knew better, but her nerves were now setting in. Kakarot thought they were going to do some drinking and dancing for their last night, but Chi-Chi had the outfit hidden inside the room that was going to keep him from going anywhere. She couldn't believe she was about to put the damn thing on. "I'll take one after I change. Can you wait outside?"

Her husband frowned. He had seen every bare inch of her this week. He loved seeing her strip down before sex and shimmy and shake into her clothes after. "You ain't comfortable with me around?"

"Of course I am. I just want to surprise you."

Kakarot shrugged. He had seen all the dresses she packed and knew she'd be beautiful no matter what. "Alright, darling. I'll be sitting outside. I'm taking the bottle with me."

He did what he said, and, as soon as the door closed behind him, Chi-Chi lost her smile. She frantically pulled the revealing outfit out of the dresser and laid all the pieces out on the bed. The black hat, red scarf, brown corset, thigh-high boots, gloves...

She sighed heavily and began to take off her modest dress to take on the look of one sexy vaquera, which she certainly was not.

* * *

"Ángel," Kakarot was singing loudly outside the hut. Half of the bottle in his hand had been consumed. "Ángel, ángel de amorrrrrrrrr!" He danced around his boots across the sand awaiting for his lover to invite him back in. His free hand was acting like a finger gun as he 'shot' bullets into the air. He was feeling good tonight for some reason.

"Ohh, sheriff!" a sweet voice called out to him. "I'm ready!"

As soon as she said it, he stumbled into the hut. He placed the bottle on the table so they could save it for later and talked as he did. "Ya know, the more you drink the better it tastes!"

Hearing the clicking of boots on the ground, Kakarot turned around and more than his eyes bulged out at what he saw.

His sweet little ángel was wearing what a feisty devil woman would. Her long black curls were hardly covering the chichis spilling out of the white top she wore above the tight corset. The placing of her red handkerchief that matched his own wasn't doing its job either. She placed her gloved hands on her round hips while twirling around for him. He was now barely noticing she had no underwear on when her butt was on full display.

After she was done showing off, she smiled at him shyly. "Do you like it?"

He was definitely going to live up to his reputation of having the fastest gun in the west.

He motioned for her to come to him and she surprised him by running. She jumped up and he caught her, holding her above his holster. He was completely entranced by her, waiting for a kiss as she just smiled brightly and touched her nose against his.

"I'll take that as a yes," she giggled while feeling his hands grip her exposed ass tighter. "Honey, you reek of tequila. Did you get into it out there?"

"Am I dreaming?" he slurred but wasn't becoming dizzy from the alcohol. "Are you really here right now?"

"Sure as sin," she winked and finally gave him the kiss he was waiting for. She could taste the strong liquid he had consumed, in addition to the salt and lime. It didn't taste _too_ bad. "Think I can have a lick?"

"Shit, darling. With you lookin' this good I'll shove it all in your mouth right now."

Feeling her face burning up, Chi-Chi chuckled nervously. He would do that, too. "Not that. I wanted a drink."

"Oh, you should've said so!" Kakarot grinned and walked her to the table. He put her on top of it and picked up the bottle that was definitely more empty than before. He considered pouring into the glass and serving it to her, but a wicked idea came across him as he stared at her barely concealed breasts. He splashed some of the clear liquid onto her chest and began lapping it while she started flailing her arms.

"Kakarot!" she scolded half-heartedly. It felt way too good and when he pulled her thin top down to get to her nipples, causing her to moan and hold the back of his head. His fingers began exploring her clitoris, and he snickered at the wetness he felt.

"Someone's been ready for me."

Chi-Chi blinked as he picked up a sliced lime and raised his eyebrows up and down suggestively. "...What in the world are you planning on doing with that?"

"Lay down."

"On the table?"

"Yup."

Knowing something bad was about to go down, Chi-Chi did it anyway. Her back hit the table and she felt her legs being pried open. Her jaw dropped when she felt liquid being dropped onto her skin.

This crazy cowboy was putting lime juice on her thighs!

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" She was stammering and shrieking at the same time. Still, she couldn't lie to herself. The sensation running through her was oddly pleasing.

"I think the people here are on'ta something, Chi-Chi. Limes make everything taste better!" Kakarot went down on her and began lapping up the juice as Chi-Chi struggled against her embarrassment for it to stop and her desire for more. Getting eaten out wasn't what she had planned tonight. She really wanted to end their last night of their honeymoon doing what Launch had taught her.

"Kakarot, wait. I want to try something else."

His attention caught, Kakarot smacked his lips together while standing up straight. He watched as Chi-Chi got on all fours on the table with her rear-facing him. The few times he had sex with other women and the multiple times with her, he had never once been in a position other than on top. "You want me to get ya from the back?"

Facing the wall, Chi-Chi's face turned red. Was Launch wrong for once and this wasn't Kakarot's preference? "Uhm... I would like to try it. But make sure it goes in the right place."

Kakarot swigged the rest of the bottle and tossed it to the ground, shattering it to pieces. He rubbed his hands together deviously and then took off his pants and boots. He kept everything above his waist on, not wanting to lose any more time. He got up on the table with her and held his cock as he drunkenly tried to insert it into the correct area. They both groaned at the same time, knowing he hit the right spot when he felt her tightness.

Having the perfect view of her ass, he raised his hand and smacked her repeatedly while pumping into her. "Mmm I can do this all night long," he purred and took the long ends of her hair into his hands to tug on gently. He smirked while staring at her hat. "Nice and steady, huh cowgirl?"

Oh, this was the right position but not the right speed at all. Chi-Chi had to take control. She began throwing her ass back on him and shook the table as she did it. Kakarot's cheers filled the small hut as he threw one hand up while keeping another around her waist.

"Shit!"

He felt like he was riding a bull and was doing everything in his power not to fall off before finishing. Now where in the hell did she learn _this_!?

"Pound me, Sheriff Goku!"

Kakarot stuck his tongue out at her groans and saluted her when he looked back at him. "Yes ma'am, Miss Milk!" He gave it his all and right at their point of climax, the legs of the table had given out and they, along with everything else on it, had collapsed to the ground. Chi-Chi was sitting on top of his cock still as she covered her mouth from laughing.

"We're going to have to pay for that."

She waited for Kakarot to answer, but knew she wasn't going to get one. Shortly after he rode the bull, he was out cold snoring with a smile on his face.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't want to spoil anything for the last two chapters, but I promise it is written with my entire heart and soul, mi corazon y mi alma. If you have enjoyed this, it brings tears to my eyes because it is my passion project. Can't wait to show you how it all ends, and where something new will begin <3 Vegeta and his family return for the next chapter, and other things happen, so I hope you're still there to finish off this wild ride <3


	22. A Sign of Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Even in a world with much sadness, at its essence, life is beautiful."
> 
> Special thank you to my beta Green_Riot for helping me through this emotional chapter. One more left. I promise I'll make it a good one.

"Those crazy kids coming home today?"

Bardock took a drink of water from his canteen before answering Gohan. They were both standing in the middle of the pasture where the cows were munching on grass. Earlier today, the farmer had delivered a baby calf and had just moved her to her own individual pen. He was going to let his daughter-in-law name her once she got back.

"Yup. Thank God I got my shed ready. I already know they're going to be going at it like rabbits."

Gohan gave the father a knowing look. "Mmhm. Payback for you and Gine when you lived with me."

Bardock smirked at the picture-perfect memory running through his mind but was shortly interrupted by Gohan's coughing. He glanced down at the old man to see that there was fresh blood in the handkerchief he had held to his mouth. An uneasy feeling was making knots in the pit of his stomach seeing it.

"Viejito," the former Saiyan placed a hand on his shoulder while knitting his eyebrows together. "Are you ill?"

Despite knowing it was too late, Gohan hid his bloody napkin behind his back and smiled at Bardock nervously. "I wouldn't worry about it, son. If it were serious, I'd let you know."

"No, you wouldn't."

Gohan's eyes widened as Bardock's narrowed. They knew way too much about one another. The old man sighed and looked down at his boots while doing so. "If you must know, it's consumption. Doctor says I've got less than a year left."

Bardock stared at Gohan as he began coughing again and could feel his very own heart ripping apart. Consumption was what took Gohan's darling years prior to Bardock meeting him. The farmer held onto Gohan's shoulder with one hand while using his other to rub the old man's back. He walked him over to the haystacks where they sat down close to one another.

"How long has this been going on?"

"A few months now," Gohan sniffed and laid his reddened handkerchief on his lap. "With the wedding and happiness going around, I didn't want to gunk it all up with sadness."

Bardock's stomach was churning as he looked up from the handkerchief to Gohan's smiling face. They had been separated for far too many decades for it to end so soon. He draped an arm fully around him and held on like he was afraid something would happen if he let go. "You should've said something, viejito. I could've-"

"Shh," Gohan shook his head while maintaining his smile. The way Bardock was staring at him made him appear as if he were a child all over again. "There's nothing you could have or should have done. All that matters is that I get to enjoy the remainder of my life with my family by my side. Aren't I a lucky man?"

The aging father breathed in sharply as Gohan began coughing again. When he finished and placed the cloth inside his jacket pocket, Bardock felt like releasing a truth that had been kept hidden for too long. "Can I tell you something? About the night Gine died?"

Gohan blinked and inched away slightly so he could look at the scarred face of the man beside him. "The robber? It's alright, son. You don't need to say more."

"I do," Bardock swallowed and could feel the painfulness of it. He never had the heart to tell Gohan the full truth of his or his children's past but he needed to know before it was too late. "It wasn't a random burglary. It was all because I joined a bad group of vaqueros. The Saiyans."

"The Saiyans?"

"It was the worst decision I've ever made."

Bardock spent the rest of the afternoon telling Gohan everything that had happened since the old man had left for San Mariposa. He told him about Kakarot's complicated birth, the precious moments leading up to the night he met Vegeta and Nappa, the infant that was killed, the painful details of Gine's death, and most importantly what had happened in the South with the sheriff.

Gohan's eyebrows scrunched up in a mixture of anger and sadness as he listened to his adopted son's disturbing and tragic past. Towards the end of it, Bardock's face was covered in his large hands, not wanting to see his reaction.

"Look at me, son."

"I don't want to."

"Why?"

"Because," Bardock's voice was quiet as he looked up at last. His eyes weren't on his father figure, but on the chickens plucking at the ground. "I feel like you hate me now."

Thrown off by his words, Gohan turned his body so he was fully facing the scarred man. "There's nothing you could do that would make me hate you. I love you. You're my son, always have been and always will be."

There was some sniffling, and for a moment Gohan thought Bardock was crying. He looked at him without a single tear to be seen, having mastered the art of concealing it long ago.

"I wish I never moved out of your house. Staying with you could've prevented all of this."

"Oh, Bardock," Gohan sighed and patted his back as the son was just doing to him when they sat down on the haystack. "You can't keep going on with the guilt you feel. I'm not happy you made the decision to join that gang, but you didn't know what it could lead to."

"It took everything from me, viejito."

"And look at what happened because of it," Gohan continued despite the shaking of Bardock's head. "Your sons would've never met their darlings. Perhaps your reward for your sacrifices will be the family they create. You'll understand how I felt the day you had Raditz. I just hope I'm around long enough to meet your grandchild."

Now it was getting difficult to hold it in. Bardock had to glance away quickly before he'd let it happen. "Don't talk like that. You will be."

The two sat in silence for a little longer until they heard the sound of horses and wheels fast approaching. The honeymooners were returning from their beach vacation. The men glanced over their shoulders to see the husband and wife snuggled up close together in the front, controlling the horses' movements.

"Would you look at them?" Gohan laughed. "I might be a great-grandfather sooner than I thought!"

Bardock didn't take his eyes off their beaming faces. "When do you want me to tell them about you?"

"Give it a few weeks. Let them focus on loving one another."

They got to their feet as the stagecoach came to a stop a few yards away. Kakarot had assisted Chi-Chi in climbing down and had immediately pushed her against the side of the wagon. Instead of opening the door to get their belongings out, he was kissing her deeply. Bardock sighed while Gohan chuckled, both knowing what life in the home was going to be like from now on.

"Alright, alright, break it up!" the father pulled his son away by the shoulders. "Give the girl some space to breathe."

Chi-Chi turned bright red when she caught Bardock staring at her neck. She adjusted her scarf that wasn't enough to cover all the marks and stepped inside the stagecoach before he could question them. "Was the calf born?"

"Sure was," he spoke bluntly and then arched a brow at his son who was leaning forward to look at his wife's bottom as she bent down. "I didn't realize they had vampires at the beach."

"Huh?" Kakarot whipped his head around and blushed at being caught gawking. He straightened up and adjusted his hat. "Uh, no vampires. They were selling tamales, though. They were delicious!"

The woman had run ahead of the men knowing that they were just going to keep embarrassing her. Gohan winked and nudged Bardock, having been through this all before with him and Gine, then started to assist Chi-Chi in bringing in their belongings. The grandpa grinned at Kakarot before heading inside the house.

"Did you two enjoy the tequila?"

Kakarot bit his lip as he recalled the night they drank it. Well, the night _he_ drank it. He couldn't remember every single detail, but he sure as hell could picture her tight little body in that cowgirl outfit. There was also lime juice and a broken table involved.

"Goku?"

"Oh! Yeah. It was great. Can we get some more?"

"Claro que si!" Gohan gave him a thumbs up and resumed lifting up one of the cases. Bardock lifted his hand to prevent him from doing it, but the old man ignored him and went on ahead. Bardock took off his hat to run a hand through his messy spikes.

"Damn it," he glared up at the sky. "The ground is starting to get too dry. We need some rain soon."

Most people hated the rain, but not Kakarot's pops. The son frowned while looking up at a section where his eyes wouldn't be scorched by the sun. "It hasn't rained at all while we were gone?"

"No," Bardock kicked up some dust with his already dirty boot. "We're going to need a miracle."

Kakarot knew that Bardock didn't have to farm now given the gold they still had and their jobs, but it meant everything to him to have their crops survive. He smiled as positively as he could and took a souvenir out of his pocket. "Got somethin' for ya."

The father took the object from his son and observed both of its shiny sides. "A concha," he had a grin once more when looking up from the shell in his hands. "You swim around for this yourself?"

"Nah. They had someone selling some of those, too. They put your name on it."

Bardock traced over the engravement with his finger and put the shell safely inside his pocket. "I know just the perfect place for this. Thanks, mi'jito. I finished the shed while you were gone."

"Oh yeah? Can I check it out?"

Momentarily leaving the stagecoach behind, the father and son headed over to the small building that wasn't too far from the main house but had enough distance to be safe from any post-wedding bedroom noises. When Kakarot opened the door, he saw his brother sweeping the floor that was covered in sawdust.

"You even clean in here!?" Kakarot laughed and dodged the dustpan that was thrown at his head. It hit Bardock in the chest instead. "You gonna live here, too?"

"I'll be remaining in my room. Y'all ain't kicking me out," Raditz took the dustpan back from his father as the scarred one placed the shell on top of a shelf he had installed into the wall. "Did you finally lay down Teach?"

When Kakarot grinned sheepishly, Raditz whistled and Bardock shook his head.

"Was it everything you dreamed of, brother?"

"Even better," the youngest one sighed. "I can't believe she's my wife and I get to do that all the time."

Raditz tilted his head, curious to hear more, while their father began putting a chair in the corner up and down so he could tune them out. "Do _what_ , exactly? Did she wear that little ensemble Launch bought her?"

"Launch?" Kakarot blinked, and then snapped his fingers. "That's who she must have learned it from!"

Bardock looked over his shoulder in horror. Anything she might have learned from la rubia was bound to be the work of the devil. "Kakarot! You don't go around telling your relations with your wife, even with your brother! Do I need to hit you with the boot again!?"

Kakarot winced and raised his hands in front of his face as if he were already attacked. "Sorry, Pops! I'm just happy she learned that position from Launch and not her previous fella!"

"Ah!" Raditz nodded his head in proud approval. "The bull ride. She said they talked about it. Were you able to hold on long enough?"

"Yeah, but then I started riding too hard and the table broke!"

As Raditz threw his head back to laugh, Bardock was red in the face and pushing both of them towards the exit. They were talking about who he considered his daughter doing something he didn't want to imagine. "Pendejos! Come talk to me when you have a sense of shame!"

When Kakarot was out the door he saw his wife struggling with some of their luggage and ran to help her, leaving his brother alone with their father. Raditz put an arm over the grumpy Bardock while shaking his head.

"Pops, you really have to take it easy. You're too serious sometimes."

"When it comes to matters that should be kept private, yes!" he seethed in return. "I can't wait until the dirty things that interest you so much come back to haunt you tonight. I bet twenty pesos that I find you knocking on my door with your pillow."

Knowing how modest Teach was to do the deed with her brother-in-law within earshot, Raditz shook his father's hand knowing he was going to make money. "It's a bet."

* * *

"You want a boy or a girl?"

"I want whatever we're blessed with, darling," Kakarot smiled warmly while rubbing Chi-Chi's neck with the washcloth. "All I want is a healthy baby."

The newlyweds were sitting in the washroom with one another as they had once before, except this time Kakarot was able to see every beautiful inch of her. He was fully clothed with his sleeves rolled up taking care of and admiring her at the same time. She had been feeling a little strange lately and wasn't sure if it was pregnancy or not. She still had some time left to see if her monthlies would come, and she wasn't so sure they could conceive that quickly.

"You're right," she pursed her lips out for him to kiss and he did so gently. "I've been thinking about something a lot lately, though. If we have children, I don't want them to know about what we've done or where we've come from. I'm so afraid they'll speak to the wrong person or look at us differently or-"

Kakarot silenced her with another kiss and pressed his forehead against hers while chuckling. "Darling, stop worrying about everything. We won't tell them about all that."

"I don't think you understand. I don't even want them knowing our real names. From now on, you're Goku and I'm Milk. Your brother and father need to get that, too. I don't want our children to see us as delinquents."

Kakarot wanted to try to calm her down again, but he knew that when she got long-winded like this, she needed a lot of reassurance before finally calming down. "Alright, Miss Milk. You do realize you'll need to get used to calling me Goku?"

Chi-Chi rolled her eyes and flicked water on his face, making him laugh. "You act like I'll have a problem with that."

"You've been screaming 'Kakarot' an awful lot late- Ow!" the husband laughed again when her wet fist collided into his shoulder. "I'm just sayin', darling. You call me by my real name a lot."

The wife closed her eyes as he began scrubbing her neck. She loved everything about the sheriff, especially how he handled her body. "Goku."

The one she called paused at the sweetness of her voice. The way she said his incognito name was like it was drenched in honey. When she opened her eyes, he dropped the scrub into the water and leaned in to kiss her to see whether her lips tasted as delicious as she sounded. After they separated, he massaged her cheek with his thumb.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"You can tell me anything."

How could he explain just how much this moment, right here and now, meant to him? He continued to caress her face and said what was on his mind. "Do you remember that night we spent together? Right after you were feeling better?"

"Of course I do. What about it?"

Seeing her in this tub was bringing it all back to him. He knew it was okay to cry in front of her, and he let a few tears slip down as he spoke with a smile. "I always had strong feelings for you, but I truly believe that was the very moment I fell deeply in love with you, darling. I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have you. I love you so much."

Not expecting Kakarot to get emotional, Chi-Chi was overcome by her own feelings. She grabbed his face in return and began kissing away the tears that had fallen. Now she was struggling against her own watery eyes. "Can I tell you the moment I knew?"

"Please."

For her, it was difficult because it was also the day she committed a horrible act of murder. Even confessing it to a way too forgiving preacher didn't wash away her guilt for good. Her head was pounding but she kept her eyes on her husband while telling him what he needed to hear. "I knew I loved you when that woman was going to shoot you. I thought about what it would be like to not have you around, and it broke my heart to pieces. I never want to live a day without you in it. I love you."

They held onto one another's faces and kissed passionately as tears wet their skin. Kakarot let go of her to begin removing his clothing, but their lips never parted. Once he was as naked as her, he climbed into the bathtub on top of her. Chi-Chi's legs spread open so he could fit in between and she moaned into his mouth when she felt him inside of her.

"I love you," he said again and went back while holding onto her. She was now straddling him while he admired her breasts. He sank his teeth into them and she threw her head back, gripping his shoulders as tightly as she could against the sensation.

"Oh, Goku," she breathed out in between pants and got louder after noticing his hands had gone directly to her hips when she said it. "Fuck me like you mean it."

At the surprise curse and command coming from her beautiful mouth, Kakarot wanted to look her in the eyes while giving her what she wanted. She was fighting hard to remain the contact as well but her eyes began to roll to the back of her head as he started picking her up and slamming him back down harshly on his cock. Water was splashing over the edge and onto the floorboards, soaking anything in its path.

Chi-Chi cried out in pleasure, knowing she would never get sick of how good he made her feel. Instead of allowing her arms to flail, she held onto him tightly and squished her chest against his face. "Fuck," he muttered into her damp skin as her breasts rubbed up and down his lips. "I'm getting you pregnant tonight, Miss Milk."

"You better, sheriff!"

They weren't able to vocalize anymore after that. The young couple was panting too hard as their hips were rocking together to the point of climax. Chi-Chi's breath hitched as she came first, and she held onto her husband weakly, exhausted, as he finished. They sat in the now empty tub, trembling after what had just happened. Too tired to do anything about it, they decided to fall asleep right where they had just made love. They made themselves comfortable and passed out within minutes.

They never did hear the sound of Raditz opening and slamming the front door behind him, pillow in hand.

* * *

"Careful, niña. You need to watch your step."

"That's hard to do when you can't even see your stomach!"

Bardock chuckled as he helped Chi-Chi down the steps of the porch. He was feeling hopeful today. The clouds had darkened the sky and the scent of rain filled their nostrils. The drought might finally end.

Right on cue, a droplet hit his forehead. He got Chi-Chi inside the stagecoach before the rain started to come down harder, planning on driving her down to the town to get last-minute items needed for the birth of his first grandchild. She was in the final stage of pregnancy and had another teacher step in to take care of her students while she remained at home. It could be any day now.

"We should wait out the storm before going anywhere. I don't want to risk a stuck wheel."

The mother-to-be nodded and her father-in-law got inside the stagecoach with her. They sat directly across from one another and smiled at the same time they heard thunder.

"I have a lot of memories inside this old thing," Chi-Chi sighed while touching the cool areas around her. "You know, on the trip to save you, I got sick something awful. I was knocking at heaven's door."

"Kakarot mentioned that. You really have nine lives, don't you?"

"I'm beginning to think so," she laughed and glanced down at the floor. It was close to three years ago that she was tied up staring up at Kakarot while he was talking to Vegeta about their plans to get to Devil's Pass. She smiled sadly while glancing back up at Bardock, who was busy admiring the rainfall through the window. "Suegro?"

"What's wrong, chaparrita?"

"Why'd Gohan keep his illness a secret for so long? You know Goku and I would've taken more time off to be with him."

It was true, too. They could've spent more active days with him. A few weeks ago, the sickness had gotten so bad that the old man was now bedridden in their home in one of the spare rooms. He was frail and hardly spoke, but always smiled when Chi-Chi would come in to fluff his pillows and share stories about her students.

"You know my viejito doesn't like when folks worry about him. He's always been that way. I'm just glad he can live out the last few weeks of his life with people that love him the most."

Chi-Chi took a ragged breath and rested her head against the wall of the stagecoach. The scent of rain was seeping in now, and it was making her feel more drowsy than usual. "Still, I wish there was more time."

"Don't we all?" Bardock shrugged and adjusted the chain of his cross. A new engravement of CC had been added not too long ago. He was going to need another initial soon. "Did you decide on a name?"

"We sure did," she held onto her round stomach and rubbed it gently. "If the baby is a boy, we were thinking Gohan Ox. If the baby is a girl, Goku thought Gine Mari would be cute. You know, like mariposas?"

Bardock breathed in deeply, a sense of pride swelling in his chest that his grandchild would be blessed with the best names possible. "How perfect."

Eventually, the rain had taken a break and Bardock used it as a chance to get to town. Chi-Chi closed her eyes and drifted in and out of sleep as they traveled. The only two people she felt comfortable enough taking her anywhere these days were Bardock and Kakarot. Her sheriff was finishing up last-minute paperwork and sending letters from inmates to their family members before he'd take another leave of absence. Having two people in charge of the law in San Mariposa ended up being a blessing in disguise.

Chi-Chi's eyes shot open when the door began to open. They had come to a stop once reaching their destination and she was expecting to see the scarred face of Bardock. Instead, she saw her sweet husband decked out in his uniform standing there ready to help her down.

"Goku!"

"Darling!" He returned the same enthusiasm and kissed her hand, cheek, and lips once she was fully standing. He bent down to give her stomach a kiss next. "How's my little lamb doing?"

"I figure it's going to be soon. You're staying home after today, right?"

"Yes ma'am," the sheriff tipped his damp hat to her and then stole another smooch. "Just a few more hours. Pops said you're picking up some more sheets for the bed?"

Chi-Chi nodded and could feel her stomach doing flips as to the reason why. "He said when your mother gave birth at home, there was a lot of blood. I'm getting some new ones for when it's all over."

Feeling faint himself, Kakarot raised a hand for her to stop and she giggled at him. "You need any money?"

"I brought some, thank you," she got up on her tiptoes to peck his cheek sweetly. "Have a great rest of your day, Sheriff Goku."

"Gracias Miss Milk," Kakarot winked at her as she linked her arm with his father who had just finished tying up the horses. "Take good care of her now, Pops. She's carrying precious cargo."

"Always do, chamaco."

After they parted ways and the two were walking to the store, Chi-Chi grinned up at Bardock. "You stopped in front of the sheriff's office on purpose, didn't you?"

"He loves when you surprise him at work," Bardock caught her blush and smirked. "That's right, he talks about you all the time. Keep up with that kind of thing after having kids. It's important."

Chi-Chi nodded but felt her heart fluttering too much to give a verbal response. On the days that the students left early enough, she had the energy to walk to the middle of town and bring him a sweet dessert. She had no idea that it meant that much for him to tell his father about it. As soon as they entered where they needed to be, Chi-Chi separated from Bardock to find something that would look good in their bedroom. She had barely picked up the corner of a sheet to look at when she heard Bardock cursing loudly.

When she followed the noise, she caught him holding a newspaper wide open and reading vigorously. The more he read, the more his swearing became bilingual.

"Mierda! Shit! Fuck! Pinche afro!"

"What's wrong!?"

"It's that fucking sheriff from Devil's Pass," Bardock spoke through clenched teeth as Chi-Chi joined his side to see the words that had pissed him off so much. "He told the press in the states that the boys and I died at Tortoise Creek and somehow the news traveled over here."

Chi-Chi took the paper as Bardock ran a finger through his hair and continued to curse. The words were all in Spanish, and there were no pictures or names besides Hercule Satan used. He told the truth about what had happened in Black Crystall between Sheriff Kai and Sheriff Cooler, how the inmate was an innocent man, and how he died a hero saving him from the Saiyans.

"Isn't this a good thing?" Chi-Chi said after finishing the article. "If people think you're dead, they're not going to come after you."

"It's not me I'm worried about," Bardock had stopped pacing the area around them and looked at Chi-Chi with an expression to show he was serious. "Cooler and his father are going to kill the poor bastard, just like I know they're going to find a way to get back at Vegeta for what he did to Frieza. Shit!"

Chi-Chi frowned and folded up the newspaper before putting it back in the pile. Kakarot did mention that after Bardock's escape, Vegeta had disappeared up north to get to Aces before a man named Cold did. It had been a few years since she heard the name of the Saiyan leader. A small part of her did worry about Bulma and the baby from time to time. No matter what Vegeta did, his family didn't deserve to be tortured. Nobody did.

"I'm sure everything will turn out okay. It has to."

Bardock knew that Hercule Satan had just signed his own death warrant. He should've never opened up and told his story to anyone. It seemed that everywhere he went, he brought bad luck and pain to those involved without even trying. Hearing the pregnant woman's exhausted voice, though, he didn't want to stress her out further. This would be yet another issue he'd have to silently deal with.

"You're right, mi'jita. Let's just get your sheets and go home where it's safe."

Knowing that he was lying about being fine, Chi-Chi sighed and went back to where she was before. She had a feeling deep down in the pit of her stomach that the grandfather was going to be overprotective over the child yet to be born.

* * *

A few weeks after the newspaper incident, Chi-Chi had gone into labor. Although there was a group of midwives and a doctor in the bedroom with her, Bardock had insisted on being by her side along with Kakarot to coach him on fatherhood and the birthing process. Tortuga had volunteered to watch over the peaceful town so Piccolo could be sitting in the kitchen with Launch and Raditz as they waited on the arrival of the child.

Kakarot's hands clenched and unclenched listening to the sound of his darling screaming out in pain. Her hair was wet after becoming drenched in sweat and the sudden gaunt appearance she'd taken on in the last twelve hours made it seem like she wasn't going to make it through to the end.

"Pops, I can't stand this. Is this normal?"

"Women are amazing this way. Your mother went through something similar, only worse," Bardock's words calmed him down a little, but did nothing to keep the one who needed it the most from crying. "You know how a cow makes a lot of ruckus before the calf comes out, only to be fine seconds after?"

"I _know_ you're not comparing me to a cow right now!"

Both men gulped at the sound of Chi-Chi's voice sounding almost demonic as she raised her head up to glare at them. Their vision of what was being done to her was blocked by the professional hands of the birthing crew.

"Empujar, Milk, empujar! Tu bebé viene!"

With the baby crowning, Chi-Chi was getting ready to hold her baby in her arms. One of her hands dug deep into the old sheets while she reached her other out for her husband to hold. He grabbed it immediately and he squeezed tightly as his strong wife gave it all that she had. The midwives cheered as the doctor stood up with the crying infant. He placed the baby in the outstretched arms of the sobbing mama, giving them the opportunity for the crucial skin-to-skin contact before the little one would get cleaned up.

"Felicidades, Sheriff Goku y Miss Milk! Es un niño!"

"A boy!?" Kakarot and Chi-Chi said at the same time while looking at one another, and then at the beautiful infant on her exposed chest that was now beginning to open his eyes. All the innocence and goodness personified in the world was looking at them. He was bloody and wriggly, but the most beautiful thing they had ever seen. Their little Gohan Ox, alive and safe and sound, was all that mattered. The parents had been starving and sleepless for days on end waiting for his arrival and they didn't care if they ever ate or rested again.

No matter the mistakes they had made or would go on to make later in life, Gohan was done to perfection.

Their family was now complete.

* * *

The Sons, Launch, and Tortuga gathered around the bed as the Gohans met each other for the first time. Chi-Chi couldn't hold back her tears as she placed her two-month-old in the frail arms of the old man. She sat on the edge of the bed in order to provide extra support if needed. The elder Gohan hadn't spoken a word since being put on bed rest in their home, but his cracked lips were beginning to open up. Everyone leaned in close to listen to what he had to say.

"Beautiful boy. Just like my Bardock."

The different sets of eyes shifted to the scarred one who was losing it. A man who always did his best to conceal his emotions was letting his red eyes release the tears freely while sitting down by his father's feet. They knew the day was coming close when he would pass, but no matter how much they expected it, it still didn't make it any easier.

"Aw, c'mon viejito. He's a lot better looking than me."

"Yeah. No ugly scar."

As everyone laughed, Kakarot placed his hands on Chi-Chi's shoulders and rubbed them gently. "He has your name, Grandpa. Gohan Ox."

"Ox," the old man repeated and then allowed the infant to tug on his white mustache. After they could see he was being too rough, Chi-Chi gently pulled his chubby hand away and held him. The former Mariposa sheriff was now making glossy eye contact with the young woman. "He misses you a lot but he wants you to take your time."

The room had grown eerily silent again, save the sound of Gohan struggling to breathe. Chi-Chi blinked her large eyes. "Who?"

"Ox," Gohan chuckled once and then slowly looked to Kakarot beside her. "Gine said she's proud of you and Raditz. She forgives your father and wants you boys to take good care of him. She still loves all three of you."

Whether he was going crazy during his final moments or he really had spoken to them, it was still enough to make everyone in the room cry. They stayed in the room until Gohan had fallen asleep again. When they left, they were feeling more heartbroken than when they went in there. As the old man took in his last breath of air, the best days of his life flashed before his half-open eyes. He saw his own darling and their twins that passed away, all of whom were now anxiously awaiting his arrival. He saw the young terrified Bardock the night he found him in his broken-down home. He saw the days they spent together growing vegetables and teaching one another their language. Memories of how beautiful Gine looked in her simple wedding dress and the way Bardock cried seeing her coming down the aisle, then seeing them raise their firstborn son. The very last memory Gohan saw was the moment he reunited with Bardock right here in San Mariposa, coming full circle.

"Goodbye, son. You did well."

* * *

_4 Years Later_

"Can I have some, Tio?"

"This ain't water, kid."

Bardock snorted as Gohan made a face at his uncle for drinking alcohol in the morning. Even at the age of four, he knew the difference between right and wrong better than the adults did at times. The grandfather and uncle were left to babysit the child so that his parents could have some much-needed alone time.

"Have some of mine," Bardock handed his exhausted grandson his jug that was still full. "I'm surprised your little legs got you this far."

Gohan smiled as the top of his head was rubbed by the calloused hands. He held the container with both hands and chugged as much as he could before his stomach started to hurt. He smacked his lips in satisfaction when he was done. "Thanks, Abuelito! Can we eat now? I'm starving!"

Bardock looked at Raditz and they both laughed, instantly being reminded of Kakarot. Raditz began rolling out the large blanket onto the ground with Gohan assisting him the best he could at his short height. Once it was settled, they sat down together and began spreading out what was inside the woven basket. They had spent the morning making tortillas and cooking meat to enjoy them with. Thanks to the heat, the food stayed nice and warm.

"Mm!" Gohan swallowed so he wouldn't speak with a full mouth. "Nuestra comida es delicioso!"

Raditz didn't care that food was flying out as he spoke. "I can't believe you're speaking two languages at this age. Your old man couldn't even read until he was in his twenties."

Gohan laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world. He continued to eat like a horse until there was nothing left. His food coma set in and he fell asleep curled up on his grandfather's lap. Bardock looked down at the boy and then at his very own manchild frowning at the emptiness of his canteen.

"When do you plan on having a little rugrat of your own?"

The oldest son shrugged his shoulders after cracking his neck. "I dunno, Pops," he glanced at Gohan to make sure he was still sleeping before continuing in a hushed whisper. "I fuck Launch all the time but she still ain't missing her monthlies. I don't think we're destined for it."

"Cochino," Bardock glared at him. "Your problem is, is that you haven't married her yet. I guarantee the babies will come rolling in after that."

Raditz rolled his eyes while shaking his empty canteen, wishing there was more alcohol inside. "I already told ya I don't believe in marriage. We're both able to do what and who we please."

"You're telling me you'll be happy knowing another man was pleasuring her? Taking care of her? Providing for her?"

Not wanting to think about it, Raditz growled and pulled down his hat to cover his face while leaning his back against the tree. "I'm done talking about this. Let's just say if she happens to get pregnant I'll marry her. Happy?"

"Sometimes."

Raditz closed his eyes to take a moment to rest. The last four years had been oddly peaceful despite the little brat running around. Launch had gotten a full-time job at Lobos while he kept up with the house duties. His hobbling had gotten worse and he never bothered looking elsewhere for work. Teach hadn't given up hers even after giving birth, and Gohan was going to be heading to school with her next year. He'd soon have the place all to himself again for the majority of the day, and he couldn't wait.

"Abuelito!" the little voice caused Raditz to open one eye as the child spoke to Bardock. "Can we play horsey?"

It always stung a little when he was reminded of the child's namesake. He recalled when Raditz always got on Gohan's back. Never the one to say no to his grandson, Bardock got on all fours and the child was quick to hop on. The neighing sounds that his father made caused Raditz to bust up laughing.

"Yeehaw!" Gohan shouted while raising a hand up. "Giddyup!"

"Hold on tight, vaquero. I think a wolf is in our presence. A shaggy one."

The child gasped loudly as his tio decided to play along with them. He was crawling towards them baring his teeth and growling. Gohan pretended to shoot him with finger guns and laughed hysterically as Raditz fell over on his back and twitched for a while as he bled out.

"The Great Saiyaman strikes again!"

"The Great what?" Bardock looked over his shoulder at his grandson who was still pumping his fists in victory.

"Tio told me a story about heroes y la heroína called the Saiyans who saved this viejito from prison! I'm pretending to be one of them!"

Bardock glared at his son who was sitting back up and shrugging his shoulders. They both knew to keep that part of their history hidden from the innocent child at all costs. "Which one?"

"The girl! Tetas!"

Raditz buried his face into his knees as he couldn't contain his laughter once again. He didn't even stop when he felt the boot collide with the top of his head. Out of all the conversations the uncle and nephew shared during their long days alone together, the one thing he remembered was the tit nickname he gave the character of Chi-Chi in his story.

* * *

The sheriff and the teacher were enjoying their Saturday night dancing at a new saloon that had been constructed with the helpful hands of Bardock. Chi-Chi had gotten dolled up for the first time in months. Her long black hair was curled and the red flower she placed in it popped out. Launch helped her pick out the white and red dress she was being spun around in.

"You're so damn gorgeous," Kakarot hummed into her ear as they shuffled their feet. "Want to give me another baby, mami?"

Chi-Chi was thankful that Launch had also introduced her to condoms, the best thing to have ever been invented. She was able to freely enjoy lovemaking without the fear of going through painful childbirth again. As much as she loved her baby Gohan, she definitely needed more time before she was ready for another. "Maybe in a few more years. You disappointed I haven't given you your ten children?"

Kakarot laughed as they swayed their hips together in a perfect rhythm. After years of practice, they were masters of their favorite pastime together. Well, _one_ of their favorites. "Hey, with a kid as amazing as Gohan, I only need him. He's as sharp as a tack. Thank God he got your brains."

Chi-Chi moved her head back so she could look at him. "After all this time and you still doubt how intelligent you are. I wish you could see yourself through my eyes."

They had been married for five years now and to Kakarot it felt like only a day had passed. He kept his large hands on her waist while leading her with his legs. There was nothing about her that didn't do something for him. "Igualmente, mi hermosa darling."

When he leaned down to kiss her, she returned it as much passion as she could manage without making him act wild in public. She adored being in his strong arms, and what she loved even more than that was seeing him with their son. He was the perfect father and she couldn't wait to get home just to see him in action. They pulled away and gazed at one another while the musicians sang out.

"Bendita la luz, bendita la luz de tu mirada. Desde el alma."

They definitely could see the light of their souls through their eyes.

Once they had finished dancing and shared just one drink between the two of them, Chi-Chi held on tightly to Goku's waist as they rode Shenron back home. The horse was now under complete control of the sheriff and trusted him so much as to allow her on his back now. They got him comfortable in his stable and then after getting hot and heavy in the barn, they held hands while walking to the front door. When they opened it, they were surprised to see Gohan still awake despite the adults snoring on the floor.

"Mami! Papi!"

"Mi amor!" Chi-Chi gushed and both parents dropped down to their knees so their little bundle of love could wrap his tiny arms around their necks. The men were beginning to stir upon hearing the noises. "We missed you! Did you have fun with Tio and Abuelito?"

"Uh-huh!" the child grinned and then screamed happily when his father lifted him up into the air. "I'm a birdy!"

"A noisy one at that!" Kakarot laughed while spinning him around. Bardock groaned as he got to his feet and heard different body parts cracking.

"Sure as hell is," the grandfather yawned and stretched his arms out. "You kids enjoy yourselves?"

Chi-Chi noticed he was eyeing the bits of hay stuck in her hair. She reddened slightly while taking it out as sneakily as she could. "What they did to the inside was stunning! I still can't believe you built the structure. The town's lucky to have you."

"And we're lucky to have you," Kakarot added while holding Gohan in his arms. The child was beginning to fall asleep at last. His daddy's hold always had this effect on him. "Little scamp just loves his grandpa."

"The feeling is more than mutual," Bardock smirked and then kicked his oldest who was still asleep on the floor. "Get up, changito. The lovers are home."

When Raditz stirred and continued to snore, Kakarot shrugged and handed his sleeping child to Chi-Chi so she could take him to bed. After she left, Kakarot put his hand on his father's shoulder.

"Pops, Chi-Chi was telling me earlier that when the time is right, she don't mind you and me teaching Gohan how to shoot. I know we keep a lot hidden from him, but I think handing over the big iron one day would be nice. What do you think?"

"Whatever you want for your son, I'll be happy with, Goku!" Bardock patted his back in return. "Oh speaking of nicknames, if you hear your son say Tetas, he's talking about your wife. You may want to fix that."

* * *

_6 Years Later_

"Alright, son. Extend your arms, aim at the target, and pull the trigger."

As soon as Gohan did, his father and grandfather cheered wildly. The can he was aiming for was knocked over after just one shot. The son grinned at the heavy weapon in his hands and double-checked to see if the safety was on. He placed the big iron inside the holster they had gifted him for his tenth birthday. Gohan was more than excited to now own his father's most prized possession. He mimicked the stance his father was in as the adults conversed with one another.

"You figure he's better than Raditz when he was this age?"

"Hell, he's better than Raditz now!"

Gohan laughed along with them even if he wasn't sure why he was doing it. He wanted to be exactly like his hero, Sheriff Goku, whom everyone at school admired. His second hero was Sheriff Piccolo, and then of course his grandpa. But Abuelito had slowed down a lot over the years as the gray hair began to come in and wasn't as quick as the sheriffs were.

"Remember, son. You only use that in times of extreme danger, like if someone breaks into the house and I'm not around. Understand?"

"I understand! I won't ever hurt anybody with it!"

The father beamed proudly and pulled his son in for a side hug. "That's my boy. Your mother and uncle have been working hard on your birthday cake. Are you excited about the party?"

"Yeah!" Gohan started walking back home in the middle of his father and grandfather. "All my friends from school are coming!"

"Good to know they don't treat you any different being the teacher's son," Bardock mused. "I was worried about you coming home with some shiners."

Gohan released a nervous laugh. "No, if anything Mama treats me the worst!"

"That's because she expects a lot out of you, which is good. You always want to push yourself to be better."

The young boy once again stared at his father admiringly. He not only was a quick shot and brave, but intelligent to boot. He had the best parents in the world. They spent the rest of the day celebrating his birthday, and it wasn't too long after his friends left that his mother brought out a special cake that wasn't used to smash his face in. He was cleaning off the previous mordida attack with a rag before sitting down at the table. All that was left for this little cake was his family. They sang to him, and his mother asked him the important question immediately after.

"What's your wish, amorcito?"

Gohan bit his lip, unsure of how it would sound. There was only one thing he truly wanted, though. "Can I have a little brother?"

His father was giving his mother the bedroom eyes that went unnoticed by the child as she turned bright red. She was about to say something when his tia interrupted her.

"Uh, would ya settle for a cousin?"

Gohan's jaw dropped as the blonde woman rubbed her belly while looking at his tio who was smirking and leaning against the wall. "WHAT!? I'M GOING TO HAVE A COUSIN!?"

"Are you going to marry her?" Bardock interjected, and the couple was bombed with questions and congratulations. Kakarot grabbed Chi-Chi by her wrist and pulled her close to him to whisper in her ear.

"When are we going to tell them about us?"

"They'll be able to tell eventually when I start to show. Let Launch and Raditz have their moment."

Kakarot kissed the top of her head and held onto her, enjoying the sight of his son celebrating the fact he was going to have a cousin. What was even more precious was the smile his brother was fighting so hard not to reveal.

* * *

_Meanwhile, 3,000 miles away..._

"So what do you think of this?"

Vegeta stared at the newspaper Broly had delivered him. It wasn't anything, in particular, that could give a hint to the whereabouts of his daughter, but it did mention a name that could have a connection. There was a more important issue being discussed in the article. No names were given, but it was clearly about Bardock, Kakarot, and Raditz. They were all killed at Tortoise Creek and their bodies disappeared down the river.

"That sheriff was out cold," Vegeta blew out cigarette smoke into the frigid air. "Shit, you were the one who did it. How the hell would he know anything?"

"My thoughts exactly," Broly took the newspaper he extended towards him and tucked it into the pocket of his coat. "I have nothing else worth sharing. I could head out far west if you-"

"No," Vegeta cut him off abruptly. "I made a promise to that woman of Kakarot's. They'd be a big help for what I have planned but I'm staying out of their way."

This was the first time in years that the leader of the Saiyans had a plan. Broly had traveled all over the states only to return to this far northern country with nothing. It was as if they were chasing after a ghost. Vegeta was thoroughly convinced that Bulla was still alive. "What's the plan?"

"I'm going to bide my time and see what backlash Cooler gets from this little article. Then we'll go after him for answers. I'm taking Trunks with me."

Broly was going to question him about his idea when they were interrupted by Mrs. Brief in the doorway.

"All you men do is smoke and gossip on this porch! Come inside where it's nice and toasty! Breakfast is ready!"

Vegeta did nothing but wave to her, and she took it with a grin and went back in. After getting Broly to explain everything that had happened to them, the Briefs packed their bags and came as quickly as they could. The doctor set up a nice practice while Mrs. Brief was overjoyed with being a grandmother. Vegeta felt better knowing his wife had some company in this isolated winter wonderland.

"You should consider bringing Cheelai here when you have a chance," Vegeta inhaled his cigarette and exhaled slowly, wanting to feel the burn. "Who knows. She might like it."

Broly nodded and waved goodbye to his companion. Vegeta waited until he was out of sight before stomping his cigarette out. He went inside his home where he could feel the fire working overtime. His mother-in-law was reading a book close to it, which surprised Vegeta slightly, and he continued on his way to the master bedroom where Bulma was still resting. He bent down to kiss her forehead and then went to his son's room.

His twelve-year-old was already raring to go. He had been waiting on this day for a long time. He was going on his first-ever hunting trip with his dad. He proudly spun around and pointed to the gun attached to his back. "Grandpa's letting me use his old rifle!"

Remembering that shotgun from the night he first met his in-laws, Vegeta smirked and motioned for his son to follow him. As they trudged through the snow to find the perfect spot, the Saiyan looked down at him to see Trunks was already grinning widely at him. He wasn't sure if he was going to keep that grin by the end of this trip.

"Can I tell you why I wanted to bring you out here?"

"Uh...So we could go hunting, right?"

"We'll be doing plenty of that, don't worry. You're old enough now to know the truth about your old man and what's going on. I always want us open and honest with one another, is that clear?"

"Yes sir!" Trunks saluted him as they came to a tree where some of the ground had melted away. They decided to set up camp there. As Trunks removed his backpack, he continued. "I'm ready to hear it, Dad. I know something's been going on for a long time."

Vegeta nodded and cocked his gun at an imaginary target. "You're a smart one. This is going to take a while, but I'll start with your middle name."

"Nappa?"

"Yes, Nappa. He wasn't my father, but might as well have been."

Trunks listened as his dad told him about the beginning of the Saiyans and what they stood for, and how his middle namesake was a man tougher than most. The boy could feel his blood boiling deep within hearing the cowardness of the sheriff that shot him, and then confusion on how that same sheriff was the very man who kept him and his mother safe after the evil men stole his sister.

"So you forgave him?"

Vegeta shook his head while cleaning his rifle. Their backs were against the tree and Trunks was waiting for the signal to start the hunt.

"Forgiveness is a touchy subject for me, boy. I haven't even begun to tell you what I've done."

The blue-haired child swallowed hard, unsure if he really wanted to know what the man he most admired had committed. "Okay," he said anyway. "Nothing can change the way I feel about you."

Vegeta moved so that he was sitting directly across from his son, giving him the opportunity to have the tree to himself. He was going to need to get comfortable for this. "We'll see about that. When I became the leader of the Saiyans after coming home from war, I rounded up this family of three men. Fastest, strongest, bravest men I'll ever know. Two brothers, Kakarot and Raditz, and their father Bardock."

Trunks' eyes widened as Vegeta told him all about the murders and robberies they committed with one another before and after Bardock had been arrested. Instead of running for the hills as most kids would upon discovering their father killed for fun, Trunks remained entranced by his father's tale and wanted to hear more. Whoever that person was most definitely wasn't the man in front of him.

Vegeta continued when he noticed Trunks was intently listening and hanging on to his every word. "We needed a stagecoach to travel to the west. The one we shot a man for ended up having his daughter hidden in the back. Kakarot's good heart got in the way and before I knew it, the girl was part of our gang. Pardon my French but that _bitch_ tried to kill me more than once."

"Well, you did kill her dad first. If someone ever did that to you, I'd whack him dead in the snow."

The flame-haired father chuckled, not at all disturbed at what his twelve-year-old was telling him. "Above all good reason, I ended up respecting the woman and feeling guilty about what I had done. I had her read a letter and she stopped trying to murder me after that."

"...So did _she_ forgive _you_?"

"Would you forgive the man that kills me?"

"No."

"Exactly," Vegeta snapped his fingers and tapped his temple. "She set the prisoner trapped in here free. Wherever the hell she is, I know she hates my guts but she ain't angry anymore. In the end, karma worked in her favor. What happened to our family is worse than death."

Trunks frowned while watching his father look away, and he wondered if he was going to shed a tear. Of course, he didn't. He was an infant himself when Bulla was abducted and had no capacity to remember the event. With her being his twin, he always had a sense that a piece of him was missing. Trunks laid down his rifle and wrapped his arms around Vegeta's neck tightly.

"I love you, Dad. I want to help you find my sister."

Twelve years had come and gone without a trace, but Vegeta was feeling more hopeful than ever. He wrapped his arms around his son for a short period of time and patted his back while doing. "I love you too, boy. Let's get your first kill."

  
  



	23. High Noon and Midnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Twenty years after his daughter's disappearance, Vegeta receives a strange letter from a girl named Sapphire. Meanwhile, Goku and Milk's oldest son Gohan is itching for a new adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah so my heart is beating out of my chest right now and my eyes are watery. I have loved writing this western tale so much and I hope you have enjoyed reading it. I have no words except thank you, thank you, thank you. 
> 
> Thank you to my beta, Green_Riot, and my artist @lady_menta, both of whom this story could've not been finished without.

After finishing their coffee, Vegeta and Bulma were snuggled up closely on the wooden bench of their front porch. Although pushing fifty, the couple was more youthful-looking than most. The wife had both arms around him while resting her cheek on his chest.

"It never seems to stop snowing here, does it?"

"No," he kissed her forehead and brought his gaze back to the white fields that surrounded their home. "Just the way I like it."

Bulma had to admit she much preferred the glistening of snow to the humidity that came with the evergreens back home. Her coat covered the scars that were left on her body twenty years ago. The parents never did find their baby girl. Vegeta's plan of following up with Sheriff Cooler had been ruined by him disappearing from the town of Black Canyon without a trace.

The Ice family was either great at hiding, or they had connections that were too afraid or too well paid to have loose lips.

A few years after that, they finally had to accept the harsh reality that their daughter was most likely murdered after being abducted.

"Should we go check to see if the tombstone is clear?"

Vegeta inhaled the scent of her freshly cleaned hair deeply before speaking into the cerulean strands. "Might as well."

The husband and wife stood up and walked hand-in-hand to the back of their house where there was one single empty grave. The sight of it always made their hearts ache all over again. Bulma stood back and watched Vegeta as he knelt down beside it to brush off the snow that covered the name. Seeing it engraved on the rock caused his body to go numb.

Bulla Brief.

He traced over the letters with his index finger. He always knew his creator was going to make him pay for all the sinful deeds he had done, but he had never expected something as soul-crushing as this. His only hope was that Bulla's death was quick and painless.

Bulma dropped down to be with him and she rubbed his back slowly. "We did everything we could, Papa. All we can do now is live our life for her."

He offered her a half-smile that disappeared as quickly as it arrived. At least he still had two blessings around.

"Vegeta!"

The couple rose to their feet and turned around to see Broly riding up fast on his horse. Once the large man came to a stop, he pulled an envelope out of the saddlebag and handed it over to them.

"A mail carrier was trying to deliver it to Aces but when he saw the building was abandoned, he brought it to the sheriff. I'd read it as soon as possible if I were you. It came from a southeastern state."

Vegeta was staring at the slightly panting Broly after he had ridden hard to get to them quickly while Bulma was ripping open the envelope. Her eyes were searching the handwriting. A hand slowly covered her opened mouth, and the sound of her gasping caused Vegeta to see what had made her do it. She handed him the letter while trembling.

_Dear Miss Bulma,_

_I fear that the attempt to send you this letter may be ill-fated, but I had to try._

_I am one of many painted ladies in the town of Silent Rise. I was raised by a cruel man named Cold who forced me into this lifestyle on my eighteenth birthday. A drunken miner from the north came into the saloon recently and told me there was only one other woman he'd ever known that had hair the same blue color as mine. He said I looked just like you. When I confronted Cold about it, he said you died a long time ago the night he found me all alone as a baby._

_I didn't believe it._

_When the miner returned, I asked him where you lived. He said a place called Aces. It is risky for me to send this to you, and I haven't the faintest clue if you are my mother, but even if you're not anything is better than the life I have here. Please don't write back if you believe me to be your daughter. Come save me instead._

_Praying this gets to you,_

_Sapphire_

"...Sapphire?" Vegeta's eyebrows came together while reading the letter over and over until his knuckles whitened. It wasn't her name, but seeing Cold and blue-colored hair mentioned was proof enough this was sent from his daughter. He looked up at his wife whose eyes were red from the tears that wouldn't stop falling down her slightly wrinkled face.

"Our poor baby is out there suffering! You have to do something about it!"

While Bulma was terrified, her husband’s blood began to boil. Not only had the son of bitch abducted his baby, but he turned her into a courtesan. Right in front of his weeping wife, Vegeta became his old self. His eyes warped into a miserable black and his nostrils were flaring as he spoke in a deadly undertone. "I'm going to _kill_ that motherfucker!"

Broly, who had proven to be a loyal friend, straightened up on his horse. He had secretly been waiting for this Vegeta to return. "Not without me."

While the father stood there breathing so heavily in the cool air that it could be seen, his son was approaching with a deer over his shoulder that he had just hunted down for their supper tonight. Once Trunks noticed his mother's face, he dropped the animal to the snowy ground and ran to hug her.

"What's wrong!? Are you okay!?"

Bulma shook her head while pushing him away slightly in order to look at him. "No," she sniffed. "It's your sister. She's alive, and she needs our help."

Trunks' eyes widened at the same time his muscles constricted. His eyes traveled from the pained expression of his mother to the furious one of his father. He focused on the throbbing vein of Vegeta's forehead. "Bulla? Are you serious?"

With a simple nod of his head, Vegeta replied in the same gravelly, dangerous voice as before. "We're leaving in the morning."

* * *

Bulma's hands massaged her husband’s sweaty back as he caught his breath on top of her. His cock was still inside of her, throbbing after reaching his climax. They hadn't even planned on having sex until they had talked about this night being their last one together. Shockingly, as pissed and as hurt as Vegeta was, he treated her soft and gently.

"Where are you going to start, soldier?" She kissed his neck, and he moved his head to look into those eyes he adored so much. His calloused hand caressed her face and he spoke as close to her lips as he could without touching them.

"Broly knows someone with close ties to Cooler. We'll beat information out of him if we have to, and then I'll find that criminal sheriff and exchange him for Bulla at Silent Rise."

Bulma arched a thin eyebrow. "Is that really necessary? You'll be spending more time in the States than you need to."

"You don't understand how Cold works. I need someone he cares about under my control to have the upper hand. It will ensure that I get Bulla back home without putting our family at risk again."

The wife sighed deeply but never broke eye contact. Exactly as they had discussed previously, Vegeta being in the States was never a good thing. He had been a wanted man in almost all of them. On the other hand, it _had_ been twenty years since they were last there and people did tend to forget about those posters.

"Don't get killed, you crazy bastard."

Vegeta showed her a smile only she knew and kissed her this time. He lingered there with his forehead and nose pressed against hers, inhaling her sweet scent to keep with him for however long this next journey was going to take. It had been years since he last left her side and she was finally giving him, along with their son, permission to go.

"I ain't dying until our girl is brought back home."

* * *

Trunks had been waiting to see his father in action. All through his childhood and teenage years, Vegeta told him the stories from his outlaw days. It wasn't until that letter from Bulla arrived that he had begun to believe they were actually true. His father was looking more and more rugged as they journeyed away from home. His stubble had turned into a full-grown beard in order to protect his identity, and Broly had done the same. Trunks was the only one with a fresh face, but he was also the only one who wasn't wanted at some point.

He wondered if what they were about to do would change that.

Broly was leading them to a log cabin in the middle of the woods, located somewhere in the northern states. They had traveled the long way to avoid running into Sheriff Krillin's town. The three Saiyans paused and watched the chimney release smoke rings into the darkened sky.

"There it is. A man named Recoome lives there," Broly pulled his neck scarf up to his nose and the rest of his words were muffled. "He knows where to find Cooler. Heard him discussing it at a bar with a white-haired cowboy."

Vegeta put one finger to his lips and used his other hand to motion for his men to get into position. Trunks would be waiting for Recoome by the front door and Broly was at the back in case the bastard made a run for it. The leader placed a hand on his holster while knocking loudly on the door. A voice from the other side groaned.

"What the fuck do you want? I already told ya, I ain't interested in the word of the lord! I got my own issues here!"

"I ain't a bible thumper. I've come here with questions and understand you're the man to ask."

After the sound of bottles being moved was heard, the door was unlocking. Vegeta glanced at Trunks who hid as it opened wide, not at all concerned if the visitor on the porch was a malicious one. A tall redheaded man burped loudly and wiped the saliva off his mouth with the back of his hand.

"The hell you talking about? Who are you?"

Trunks peaked around the side of the house to see how his father was going to handle this. Instead of providing any sort of verbal response, Vegeta kicked him harshly on the torso and sent the man back inside. He shut them in and approached the fallen Recoome with his gun aimed squarely at his face.

"I'm only going to ask you this once before I start shooting. Where is Cooler hiding?"

Recoome swallowed hard, terrified of the man who was half his height. There was a wild, untamed look in his eyes that matched perfectly with the beard he donned. As much as he wanted to survive the night, he'd end up dead either way giving away the boss's location.

"I-I don't know who-"

"YES, YOU FUCKING DO!" Vegeta snarled and shoved the barrel right in between the man's eyes. "Last chance before I pull the trigger. Where. The fuck. Is. Cooler?"

The man was in tears now, suddenly realizing that this short cowboy was much more to fear than Cooler. Maybe there was a way he could still save his own hide without having to face too much wrath. "Look, pal! I don't know where Cooler is, nobody does! He disappeared after the paper exposed him. But..." he gulped when the barrel was pressed deeper into his skin. "I can tell you about my associate! He's headed to Cooler tomorrow!"

Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "Tomorrow? How far away is this associate?"

"I don't recollect which hotel he's in, but he's nearby. Boarding the train at high noon," Recoome's tears were flowing rapidly now, fearful that this truthful information wasn't enough for the psychopath. "His name's Jeice. Has the longest white hair you've ever seen and always wears red. You can't miss him even if you tried!"

The train...

Vegeta had witnessed the construction of the transcontinental railroad but never dreamed such a thing could exist. No matter what group of Saiyans he was with, they always traveled by horse or stagecoach which took months on end. Not wanting to bring too much attention to himself right away, he'd need to purchase tickets to ride as a normal person would.

"High noon you say?"

"Y-Yes, sir! High noon!"

Vegeta pulled his gun away from the blubbering man's forehead and shook his head as he scrambled his way out the door. Recoome was instantly shot by his son who had been waiting. The redhead fell face forward onto the grass, staining it red as he bled out. After hearing the gun firing, Broly came around from the back to stand by Vegeta as Trunks checked the man's pulse.

"He's dead," the son spoke calmly and looked to his father who was standing on the porch. "Did I do it too soon?"

"I got what I needed," his dad shrugged and then smirked at Trunks' job. "Well done, boy. A kill shot on the first try. You remind me of an old friend."

Trunks knew he was talking about Kakarot. Out of all the characters his father described in stories to him as a child, Kakarot was his favorite. The fastest gun in the west. It was a shame he'd never get a chance to meet him. Trunks took a handkerchief out of his back pocket to wipe the blood off his hands as he joined the other Saiyans to retrieve their horses.

"What did he say? Anything of use?"

"Yup," Vegeta patted Broly's back once. "We're camping out tonight and riding the train tomorrow."

"The train?" Trunks blinked. "What about the horses?"

"We'll need to sell them for ticket money," Vegeta snorted as he dug in the saddlebag for a cigarette. "I didn't think this mission would cost us anything other than our lives. Some bullshit, but hell we deserve to travel in comfort. Light this for me, boy."

Trunks struck a match and his father inhaled. He always wanted to ride the train but had no idea it would happen this way. "Sounds fun."

The father rolled his eyes and ordered the group to leave the crime scene behind after finishing his smoke session. They rode deeper into the woods close to the town that where the train station was located, planning to get up bright and early to purchase their tickets. Knowing that he'd be able to catch some rest on the locomotive tomorrow, Broly offered to stand guard as Vegeta and Trunks got comfortable on the dewy grass to sleep.

"Father?" Trunks was on his back and staring up at the night sky. "You ever get scared?"

Vegeta cracked an eye open and turned his head slightly to look at him through it. "Everyone gets scared. I just replace my fear with anger faster than the normal man, then I don't have time to think about it. Are you telling me you're afraid?"

"No," the son was honest. "Just thought I was odd for feeling the way I do. I think about that letter my sister wrote to Mom and ignore any fear I might have. I want her to be with us again."

His father was silent for a long time, and Trunks thought he had fallen asleep. The son flipped over to his side and closed his eyes knowing that he would need to be well-rested for the next phase of their rescue mission. He was fixing to drift off when he heard Vegeta mutter quietly.

"I do the same damn thing."

* * *

Still uneasy about his past catching up to him at the absolute worst time, Vegeta sent Trunks to purchase the tickets while he and Broly sat on the wooden bench sharing a tin of peanuts and looking around casually for the one named Jeice.

"I'm beginning to think that man lied to you."

"Shut up, Broly," Vegeta growled quietly. "Maybe he's taking a piss break like the other folks who got off."

The long black train had rolled into the station hours ago but wasn't taking off until high noon. The passengers who had just arrived on it had gotten off to either explore the town or to use the outhouses. Nobody they had seen yet fit the description Recoome had given them. The only person they recognized was Trunks returning with three tickets in his hand.

"They cost less than what we thought, so we have some extra cash. You want me to hold it, Dad?"

Vegeta was straining his neck noticing something behind his son. "That's fine, boy!" he snapped. "Move!"

Trunks backed up so he wasn't in his father's way, eyes followed his gaze. On a bench not too far away from them a man wearing an all-red suit with long white hair pulled back into a ponytail like Trunks’ had taken a seat on another bench to look over the book in his hands. The Saiyans exchanged a glance with one another.

"The bastard wasn't lying after all," Broly mused and tossed the peanuts to Trunks. "That's the one we need to keep our eye on."

The hungry twenty-year-old ate some of his new snack and spoke with a full mouth. "He's going to bring us to Cooler?"

"Did you just say 'Cooler'?"

The gang winced at the same time hearing a woman's voice coming from behind them. Vegeta would strangle his son if he could for letting a name slip up so loudly, but right now he needed to deal with the issue at hand. He shifted his body to see a girl around the same age as Trunks. Her long black hair was in pigtails, and her face revealed an attitude that reminded Vegeta of someone he once knew.

"Just walk right on by if you know what's good for you, girl."

The young woman placed a hand on her hip where her holster was. She had a rather large gun for such a petite thing. Her blues eyes pierced through Trunks who had to admit she was attractive.

"This your father?"

"Don't answer her!" Vegeta growled and stood protectively in front of his son while facing the brown noser. Broly had joined his side to either keep him calm or assist him in hiding another body. "What's with all the questions? You work for him, too!?"

Her face had a disgusted expression as if the assumption made her sick. She pulled a folded-up newspaper article from her pocket and handed it to the twitchy Saiyan. "I've been following you guys since you shot Recoome. I was fixing to do the same thing."

Vegeta raised an eyebrow while snatching the article from the woman. As he unfolded it, he discovered it was one that he had read many times over. It was the false story of the deaths at Tortoise Creek.

"What's this have to do with anything?"

"The man that wrote this was my father, Hercule Satan. Cooler killed both my parents a few years ago," her voice didn't crack, revealing a tough and hardened fighter. "I've been trying to track him since then. Lo and behold, I run into you three. I'm beginning to see there's only so much I can do on my own. Can I team up with you?"

Vegeta handed the newspaper slowly back to her and looked at Broly and Trunks. The big man shrugged his shoulders while Trunks was too transfixed on her face to do anything at all.

"Prove that I can trust what you're saying."

"How?"

"Tell me something about your father. Something not in this article."

The girl sighed and thought of the one thing he always talked about. "That man he mentioned in the article, the prisoner? His name is Bardock and his sons are Kakarot and Raditz. My father and Bardock were really close during his time at Devil's Pass. He told me they all survived, but he didn't want them to get hassled anymore. That's why he lied about it."

Vegeta could feel something swelling deep inside at the mention of the names nobody else knew or had long forgotten about. He cleared his throat after regaining his tough composure. "You got a name, girl?"

"Videl," she shook his hand that had struck out. "Videl Satan."

* * *

Milk was thankful for the cool breeze that greeted her during the students' playtime. She kept a watchful eye on the children of all ages as they shot marbles, played house, or threw a ball around.

Her son and niece were, of course, doing neither.

She felt her heart sink when she realized they were nowhere in sight. "Dónde están Goten y Ranch?"

"No se, Miss Milk!" the other students answered truthfully, but the silence they provided her revealed laughter coming from behind the schoolhouse. Growling under her breath, Milk marched to their hiding spot. Her niece, who had the same long black hair as her father, was tied up playing the 'bank robber' while her son, the 'sheriff' was holding a shoebox near her face.

"Alright, Ranch! I'm giving you one more chance," Goten mocked his father's voice almost to perfection. "Where'd ya bury the money!?"

"I told ya I ain't sayin' nothin'!"

The adorable scene before her had caused Milk to lose her scowl until she heard the rattling coming from the box her son was holding. "GOTEN! DROP THAT RIGHT NOW!"

The children screamed more at their teacher/family member's sudden voice than at the beast that was escaping the fallen box. Other students had gathered around to see what the commotion was about and started to scream themselves. The rattlesnake was shaking like mad, prepared to take its first victim. Milk ordered everyone to run away, uncertain of what the rules exactly were when it came to dealing with the venomous creatures.

Lucky for them, the sheriffs of San Mariposa were nearby and came to the rescue. The messy-haired lawman shot the snake dead on the ground and after the initial shock wore off, the class erupted in cheers. Goku joined in, cheering for himself as well while his partner in crime snorted.

"You're just a big ham, you know that conejo?" Piccolo shook his head. "A big show-off."

"Ah, don't act like you don't love it, jirafa."

Finally regaining control of her breathing, Milk broke apart the group of students overcrowding her husband with hugs after he had climbed down from his horse. She ordered them to finish playing safely until class resumed. Once only the family and Piccolo remained, Milk placed her hands on her hips and sighed.

"Mind telling me how the kids had a crazy idea to use a rattlesnake in a box for a confession?"

Piccolo kept his lips sealed while Goku rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, whistling. His song was interrupted when Goten clapped his hands together excitedly.

"Papa told us that's what he does to the bad guys when he doesn't want to shoot them!"

"Oh, _did_ he?" Milk arched an eyebrow and had moved her arms to her chest, a pose that meant business. Goku gulped, his nerves only getting worse as Ranch joined in.

"Yeah! Tio Goku even taught us about water logging but we ain't got no means to do that at school. Maybe if we go to the river later."

After all the dirty stories and secrets Raditz had exposed his sons to over the years, Goku thought there was no harm in innocently telling his niece what he did at work. These kids were always heavily influenced by the wrong details. He chuckled nervously while awaiting Milk’s punishment.

The teacher glanced all the way up at Piccolo and spoke as calmly as she could. "Sheriff, would you mind entertaining the students for a hot second while I discuss matters with my husband?"

Her tone let him know she was telling him, not asking. El jirafa nodded and spoke to the children gruffly. "Vamos, chamacos."

The cousins frowned and hung their heads at the same time. They were always getting busted for something, and now they had gotten the sheriff in trouble. They ran to Goku and clung to his legs for dear life. Goten was pouting and motioning for his father to come lower so he could whisper something in his ear. Always the one to humor the little guy, Goku leaned down.

"I'm sorry, Papa," he whispered. "If Mama doesn't waterlog you, I'll make you flapjacks."

Goku laughed and kissed the top of his son's head. He bent down so he could hug both the children tightly. "Do as I say, not as I do, alright? Go with Uncle Piccolo. I can handle Mama."

Once the three were back to the front of the schoolhouse, Milk had lost her ferocity and was now pinching the bridge of her nose. "Seriously, Goku? You have my son and niece threatening one another with rattlesnakes and now I need to make sure they don't end up drowning one another in a river?"

"Just tell them the tale of La Llorona and we won't need to worry about that!"

"I'm not trying to traumatize them!"

Goku needed to dial up his charm to get out of this one. He pulled the short woman into a loving embrace and rocked her back and forth despite her not returning the hug. _"Ay, mariposa de amor. Mi mariposa de amor,"_ he sang while holding onto her. "You know I'm a foolish man, darling. I raised one of our sons to be compassionate and the other to love violence. Think I've gone easy on Goten."

"Mmhm," she murmured into his chest but was still refusing to hold him back. "I've been working hard to reverse your negative influence but it doesn't help that Ranch is his best friend. She's just as crazy as her mother."

"Yeah, but you love that little girl," Goku kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear. "You're a great mom, aunt, wife, teacher, but you know what you're the best at being?"

Milk was growing hot at his suggestive tone. His hands were slipping lower to her bottom, pausing just above it. "What?" she said breathlessly while looking up at him. He had that irresistible smirk on his face he only wore when he wanted something.

When he wanted her.

"My darling."

Milk shook her head, finally smiling. She cupped his face in her hands, feeling the roughness of his beard, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him sweetly. "No more telling the children your methods of getting answers, okay?"

"Si, Miss Milk," he winked and gave her another kiss, deepening it this time by holding the back of her head. "I think we need to get back to work, but we'll finish what we started tonight."

They were holding hands as they walked toward his horse. After the sheriff hopped on, the teacher leaned against the side to hit him with a thought that would get him through the remainder of the day.

"Maybe if you're good we can talk about it twice."

Goku licked his lips and tipped his hat to his special gal. "I sure do love you, darling. I'll see you at home."

Milk blew him a kiss and he caught it before riding away. She didn't know how, but her feelings for him had gotten even stronger as they aged.

* * *

"What's wrong, vaquero? Is it about that bird?"

Gohan stared down at the big iron that was gifted to him, an item symbolic to the men in their family as it had been passed down through generations. It felt heavier than usual after what he had done yesterday. He was practicing shooting cans but a bird had gotten in the way. The poor thing lifted its wing one last time before dying. He poured his heart out to his grandfather about how terrible it all felt and now they were sharing coffee at the table.

"It was awful, Abuelito. I can't believe my hands did something like that," he glanced down at them and felt nauseous. "I took a life."

Bardock put his mug down after enjoying the strength of the boiled coffee beans. The young man was the perfect mixture of his parents and had too good of a heart. "Not on purpose. We all make mistakes. You won't be judged unkindly for what happened. Trust me."

Gohan sighed and took a small sip. His grandfather was a very wise man, and he knew he was right, but it didn't change the fact it hurt. He needed to distract himself before going mad. "Would you like some help plucking the vegetables today?"

The grandpa grinned. It was five o'clock in the morning and the sun was barely beginning to rise. The kid had better work ethic than his uncle. "Put your layers on. The rays on your skin ain't a joke."

After he was properly dressed, Bardock and Gohan headed outside with the tools they needed to get the job done. Working side by side with his grandpa always gave Gohan the clarity he needed. Once the jalapeño plant he was focused on was bare, the young man decided to finally bring up something else that had been bothering him for quite some time.

"Abuelito?"

"Mande, niño?"

"I still want to ride the train around the States." He watched his grandfather slowly lower his scissors to the ground. "I don't know if I want to further my education here or there. I want to see what's out there. I hear so many good-"

"Gohan."

The grandson paused at his grandpa's strict voice and stern face. He was about to hear what he had been told a million times before. "Abuelito, I know how dangerous that country can be but-"

"You don't know," Bardock interrupted him again. "There are evil people out there."

"There are evil people everywhere," Gohan countered which was rare for him. He hardly argued back with his elders but kept it civil whenever he did. "Don't you want what's best for me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then how will I know if this town, this place, is all I've seen?"

Bardock inhaled deeply and brought his eyes to a small pepper that still needed to mature. "Look, kiddo. I'm against you going there for reasons you can't possibly understand, but at the end of the day, the ones you need to discuss this with are your parents."

Gohan frowned. There was no way in hell his mother would approve. They had gotten into their first big spat when he brought it up before. The grandson continued to work in silence and didn't notice that Bardock kept looking up at him. The two delivered the produce to the main part of town, and when they got back, the rest of the family was up making breakfast. The scent of bacon when they entered the home made their stomachs growl at the same time.

"Primo, look!" Ranch grabbed his hand and dragged him to where a stack of oddly shaped pancakes was sitting. "I made these all by myself!"

"No kidding!" Gohan high-fived her but glanced up at his uncle to see him shaking his head no. "I can't wait to try them! They look delicious!"

His cousin giggled and then squealed loudly when her grandpa took a seat. She wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she could and tried to wiggle the old man around. "Gramps! I made pancakes!"

Bardock chuckled at her excitement and gave her an affectionate head rub. "I heard, princesa. You do more cooking than your mom does!"

Speaking of la rubia, she gave him a subtle middle finger while drinking her coffee. She was dressed in her work uniform of tight pants and a form-fitting top. She slapped Raditz on the butt as he walked by with the steaming plate of eggs just to make her father-in-law uncomfortable. She stuck her tongue out at him and then looked to her nephew.

"Your folks are in their room with Goten if you wanted to tell them breakfast is ready."

"Thanks, Tia. I'll be right back."

Gohan took in a deep breath before opening the door. He smiled at the sight of his father reading a book to his brother in bed. Goten had a weird way about him where he didn't want a bedtime story, but a good morning one. Not wanting to ruin the flow, Goku raised his hand up to greet his oldest while continuing on with the story. Gohan approached his mother who was applying makeup in front of the vanity.

"Morning, honey. Did you sleep well?"

"Not really. I got up early to help Abuelito with the deliveries," Gohan rubbed the back of his neck after she finished painting her lips. His tia and her were always staining the ceramic mugs with it. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course you can. What's wrong?"

"I want to visit the States."

An awkward hush filled the bedroom. Milk, who had been staring at his reflection in her mirror, turned around to face him. Just seeing the look on her face made her husband pick up Goten to bring him somewhere safe.

"But Papa! I wanna see Mama tear Gohan a new one!"

The sound of his little brother complaining and whining faded away as the father brought him to where the rest of the family was starting their day. Milk stood up from her chair so she could stand in front of her oldest child.

"Didn't we talk about this once before? My feelings haven't changed, Gohan Ox Son. You have no idea how dangerous it is out there. I refuse to let you put your life at risk."

Gohan rubbed his fingers together, doing his best to maintain as calm as possible. This wouldn't end well if he raised his voice. "That's the problem, Mom. You and Dad have warned me about the States my whole life but never tell me why. Why is it so dangerous? What makes the people evil? How would you even know? Did you live there before?"

Milk was struggling to put together her words as Goku returned to the room. He closed the door behind them for privacy and joined his wife's side in solidarity for whatever decision she planned on making.

"You've seen what the paper's said about that country, son. They have war with their own people, they steal land, they treat each other poorly. It's just not good."

"But Dad... What if the paper just loves to focus on all the bad? Surely people would look at San Mariposa negatively if all they knew about it were the drunks Tia deals with."

Goku didn't want to admit his son had a point, but also couldn't tell him the real reason he couldn't travel. All of his family's dirty rotten history was there. It would kill both him and Milk if Gohan ever discovered the truth.

Milk was torn between her baby's safety and the fear of him resenting her one day for holding him back. Unable to speak properly from the choking of her tears, she left the room as quickly as she could. Gohan started off after her, but his father grabbed his shoulder to stop him.

"Let me talk to her first."

Gohan nodded and followed behind. The family in the kitchen jumped when Milk slammed the door behind her. Their eyes were on her husband that went outside next, and then on Gohan who stood behind frowning.

"Geez kid," Raditz spoke after chewing on a piece of bacon. "What you do now?"

"He wants to go on the train for an adventure to that bad place," Goten was happy as a clam chewing on his food and watching the drama unfold. "He always gets Mama upset when he talks about it."

Raditz glanced at his own father who was picking at an imaginary speck on his plate. He had warned them over and over again that no good could come from keeping their past hidden. He was planning on telling his daughter everything once she was old enough. The girl was a chatterbox and doing it now would land him in hot water with his brother and sister-in-law.

"Just be honest with her, kid. She can't keep you tied down forever."

* * *

"I don't want him to go, Goku! You can't tell me you're seriously considering it!?"

Goku sighed after finally being able to wrap his arms around her. He was holding onto her stomach with her back against him as he tried speaking as softly as he could. "You know as well as I do that he'd want to fly the nest at some point, darling. In the end, we can't control him. He's a man now."

There was truth to her husband's words. If she wasn't careful, Gohan would leave without a word and never come back. Milk could feel an aching in her chest that she hadn't experienced in a long time. It was similar to when her father was killed. She held onto her husband's forearms and could taste her tears as she opened her mouth. "But I'm so afraid... What if someone confuses him with you and arrests or hangs him?"

"Darling, he ain't got my hair like Pops or Goten. I think he'll be just fine."

"Aren't you worried? At all?"

"Of course I am," Goku held her tighter and rested his chin on top of her head. "In fact I'm terrified. But I know he's going to be fine. We raised him right, and all he wants to do is sightsee and decide on his education. Doesn't that sound nice?"

"Yeah," Milk’s voice cracked as she sniffed. "It does, but...he's my little Gohan..."

Goku exhaled deeply once more and spun her around so they could both hold onto one another. "I know darling," he smoothed her hair down her back. "I know. But it's better to let him go free than keep him in chains."

"Mama?"

The pair separated once they heard their son's voice. He was approaching them slowly, cautiously, not wanting to ruin their conversation. His father pushed his mother forward gently and left them to speak alone.

"Mama," Gohan started again while grabbing her hands. "I'm not going to be gone forever. I did my research and asked around. The transcontinental railroad takes only a few days to travel around that entire country. I'll be back before you know it."

"How will I know you're okay?"

"I'll contact Dad's telegraph at the office using another sheriff's," Gohan smiled assuredly. "I'll do it each time I stop somewhere."

Milk took a ragged breath and closed her eyes, remembering the days when her son was barely beginning to walk. Now he was a man running off on his own journey. "Promise it'll only be for a short time?"

"A week, two tops. I promise."

"You have to be as good as a promise keeper as your father. I want you back home as soon as possible."

Gohan smiled. "With all due respect Mom, sometimes I think your problem is that you see me as a baby still."

"You'll always be my baby, even when you're as old as me," Milk hugged him tightly and did her best to hold back the remainder of her tears. "I love you, mi conejito."

Gohan returned her embrace, knowing how lucky he was to have a mom like her. "I love you too, Mama."

* * *

After a tearful goodbye with his family, Gohan was waving to them through the window of the train. As the wheels chugged along, he opened up his journal and wrote down all the sites he was seeing after leaving his home country. Once he was in the western part of the States, he showed proper documentation and boarded the transcontinental railroad.

The speed at which the locomotive traveled was astonishing, and the boy quickly jotted down an equation that might explain it. He discussed it with a few older scholars who sat around them and had never felt so cool in his life. As they passed through different states and made a variety of stops, Gohan decided the next one would be where he needed to stretch his legs and take a bathroom break.

Always disgusted at the lack of soap in the public outhouse, Gohan dropped to his knee to take his soap and a bottle of water out of his backpack. He washed his hands well and thoroughly, just like his mother had taught him. Feeling relieved and fresh, the boy walked back to the train station with a grin on his face. Even though there were many interesting people to watch, Gohan's eyes were caught by a blue mariposa fluttering past him. He followed its trail until it ended on a girl's head.

"Whoa..."

Gohan blinked. The one the butterfly had landed on was stunning. Even from a distance, he could see that her eyes were the same color as the mariposa. He was so distracted by her that he didn't notice she was with a group of tough-looking men. He felt a lump in his throat when he swallowed.

The conductor was making the announcement that the train was ready to board again. The butterfly floated above her head as she walked to the entrance of the locomotive like it was calling out for him to follow her. Gohan held onto the straps of his mochila and did just that. Once he got up the steps, he saw her sitting in the aisle seat. There was one seat open directly next to her.

Before he could even build up the courage to take it, a blue-haired man pushed him aside and stole the seat from him. Gohan decided to go with the other aisle seat across from her just to be able to catch a better glimpse. He smiled nervously when she set her sapphire eyes on him, but that smile wasn't returned. She scowled at him instead and it caused him to look away while blushing madly.

She really _was_ gorgeous!

The young man placed a hand on his beating heart, unsure of why it was feeling so funny. He was going to chance a look again when a man's thigh was suddenly blocking his view.

"Hey!" he barked in a gruff voice. "Move over!"

The seats weren't reserved, but the man's tone made him uneasy enough to scoot over towards the window. To Gohan's surprise, the girl and the man were conversing about something incoherent.

Was this her father?

Gohan sweated when the girl's father caught him staring. The tough guy was about to yell something at him, but his expression switched into one that Gohan couldn't read. They were blinking at each other for a good while until the man finally spoke first.

"Mind if I ask you something, kid?"

Damn it, here it comes. The whole 'stare-at-my-daughter-and-I'll-wring-your-neck' spiel. "Yes?"

"By any chance, is your father named Kakarot?"

Gohan wasn't expecting that. The stranger's eyes were boring into him as he awaited the answer. "Uh, no, sorry. My dad's name is Goku."

The stranger furrowed his eyebrows together as if the response pissed him off. He never took his eyes off Gohan's face as another thought crossed his mind. He snapped his fingers and pointed them at him. "Your mother _has_ to be Chi-Chi. You've got those sickening eyes," the stranger smirked and leaned back in his seat. "I always knew that woman was going to end up sleeping around."

The crude comments made Gohan's blood boil. He clenched one fist tightly while using his other to grab the stranger by his collar. "Pinche chaparro! My mom's name is Milk, not Chi-Chi you sicko, and she loves my dad too much to do that!"

A tall man who had taken a seat in front of them had stood up to look down at them. "You alright there, Vegeta?"

"What did I say about names, you son of a bitch!" the one named Vegeta whispered harshly. "Sit the fuck back down!"

Gohan released Vegeta during his argument and put his back against the window to get a full view of the furious man next to him. He had a thick beard like his dad did and wore all black. There was a gun larger than the big iron he hid inside his backpack on Vegeta's hip. The man's fingers were strumming against it while glaring at the one who had foolishly put his hands on him.

"So you're not at all related to Kakarot?"

"No," Gohan was surprised at how strong his voice was. Vegeta was absolutely terrifying to look at, like a wolf about to rip the sheep's throat out. "I'm not."

"That's too damn bad."

Gohan glanced down at his backpack on the floor, fearing that he might need to take the gun out. He was fixing to reach down for it when the girl's sweet voice rang through his ears and broke the tension.

"Red's boarding. Act natural."

As soon as she said those strange words, Gohan saw them all straighten up and freeze when a man wearing all red walked by to find his own seat. Over Vegeta's head, he was the one to catch _her_ staring. He picked up his hand to offer a small wave, but she looked away quickly with pink cheeks.

"Heh," he laughed to himself. "Que linda."

'Her name ain't Linda," Vegeta smirked after observing the young adults' exchanges with one another. "You sure you ain't Kakarot's son? He has a thing for the crazy ones, too."

Gohan scooted as far away from Vegeta as he possibly could and ignored him. He took out his journal and started writing down this odd moment in a language Vegeta didn't speak so he wouldn't have the chance to snoop. He was so into his writing that he didn't notice the four around him were covering their faces with handkerchiefs.

* * *

Although one very important member of her family was missing, Milk found herself calming down for the first time since her son had boarded the train. They were a few miles away from their home sitting underneath the neverending stars of the desert sky. A fire was blazing in the center and the children were now out of breath after chasing one another around it.

Goten collapsed onto his grandpa's lap and dramatically swiped his forehead with his arm. "Whew! I'm dog tired!"

Bardock shook his head when Goten started to fake snore. "Ay, chamaco. Just like your brother at this age."

Milk frowned while watching the two of them share a laugh. Her youngest wasn't a baby anymore. He was growing like a weed each day it seemed. What made her even sadder was the gray hair of her father-in-law. In addition to his wrinkles, it had crept up slowly over the years and had finally reached its peak. He was getting older, too, and she silently feared the day when he hit his limit.

Bardock caught her staring and noticed her expression. "You okay, chaparrita?"

She felt Goku's arm that was around her tighten when she was asked, and she shook her head to snap out of her momentary depression. "I'll be fine. Just thinking too much, I guess."

Launch lowered her canteen from her lips while eyeing them over the flames. "What you need is to get dick downed! How long has it been?"

"Cochina!" Bardock growled, and the family had mixed reactions. Milk covered her red face with her hands, Goku began to sweat, knowing they had done the deed just that morning, and Raditz laughed loudly. "Do I need to remind you that children are present!?"

The blonde woman shrugged and then gestured to the young girl in her husband's arms. "I made sure the angels were asleep before I said somethin'. Who do you think I am?"

Bardock glanced down to see Goten was snoring seriously this time, at a much quieter tone. He grumbled under his breath while avoiding eye contact with his brash daughter-in-law. "You still shouldn't talk like that."

"I think it's so cute you're so shy," Launch winked. "Old man."

Even in his sixties, Bardock maintained his attractiveness somehow and it showed when he grinned. Launch was right about Milk and her being lucky to be married to his sons.

"I can take the brat home if you two wanted to stay up to see the fire go out," Bardock yawned and then groaned as his bones cracked while standing up. He was holding his youngest grandson like he was a wounded animal. "It's past my bedtime."

After Launch had nudged Raditz, he got the hint and got in a similar position with Ranch. He knew Teach had been through hell today letting Gohan go to the states. "Don't be out too late, crazy kids."

Goku and Milk waited until their family had started their walk back home before they turned to one another. Goku took both her hands in his own and rubbed her knuckles.

"I hope you're still not stressing over Gohan. He's going to be just fine. He's got my big iron and he's as sharp as a whip," the husband kissed his wife's hands one at a time, his beard tickling her when he did it. "Nobody sane would mess with him."

Milk knew Goku was right, but at the end of the day, Gohan was still her baby. It made her sick to her stomach knowing he was so far away and their contact was limited. "When should he be contacting you through the telegraph?"

"Tomorrow. That's when the train is going to make its first stop."

Well, that was a hell of a lot better than waiting six months for a letter. Milk squeezed his hands and smiled sweetly at one who could always make her feel better. "Can you help keep my mind off of it until then?"

"Of course darling," Goku sat cross-legged in front of her, and all it took was seeing the flames illuminate the side of her face to know what he could tell her. His all-time favorite story. "Do you remember that night after we met?"

How could she not? After the most traumatizing day of her life, he had shown her the kind of man he really was and made her feel safe. "I sure do. We slept by fire just like this one."

"Mmhm. Did I ever tell you the truth of how I felt the first time I saw you?"

The truth? Milk blinked her long eyelashes. She had heard him say a million times over how beautiful or how special he thought she was. The way his eyes were flickering along with the flames made her realize he was trying to get a rise out of her. Too bad for him, the wife had become an expert on getting one from the husband first.

"Did you want to fuck me?"

Hearing her purr out the word she had only spoken when she was either drunk or being a dirty girl, Goku’s eyes widened. She was looking at him so innocently that it made him want to rip those pretty clothes of hers off to reveal that vixen underneath.

"You have no idea what I would've done if you’d let me."

"Tell me," she encouraged him further by leaning forward and drawing a heart on his chest with her finger. "I'd love to hear it."

Goku had the perfect view of her breasts that had grown after giving birth to two sons. It took everything in him not to reach for what now belonged to him. He folded his hands and placed them in his lap. Instead, he maintained his role of a perfect gentleman after clearing his throat. "When I saw you in that pink dress of yours, I wanted to rip it right off you."

"Enserio?" Milk was blushing wildly but kept her voice creamy smooth. "Well... I'm wearing a pink dress right now, aren't I?"

Goku’s jaw was slightly agape as his wife crawled even closer. He could detect the scent of roses, becoming intoxicated by it. A lot of folks teased them saying they had never left the honeymoon stage, and after eighteen years of marriage, they were completely right. They took every single chance they could get to squeeze in a little love-making. It was a wonder that Milk hadn't popped out eight more children by now.

"Why Miss Milk," he spoke darkly when both of her hands were pressed against his chest. "What kind of a man would I be to let a lovely mother such as yourself go back home in a torn dress? Let me take it off you."

Milk became flustered while watching Goku stand up abruptly. She thought this was going to be all talk and no action. They had never had sex outside before, and, although there wasn't a single soul around, it was still public space. "Goku," she whined half-heartedly. Part of her wanted this. "What if somebody sees?"

"Ain't nobody around 'cept you and me," he held his hand out for her to grab. "Come on, darling. You deserve this."

Unable to deny the achy feeling growing between her thighs, Milk took his hand and he immediately started removing her layers until she was standing almost completely naked in the middle of the sandy desert. The only article of clothing she had on was her boots. His fingers traced the faint stretch marks on her hips he had loved since they first appeared. He grinned after she kissed him and took his hat.

"This completes the ensemble," she winked while adjusting the hat on top of her own head. "What do you think?"

As hard as he was looking her over, she was giving him an idea. He placed his hands behind his back and started dancing in circles around her, kicking up the dust slightly as he went. When he started to hum, Milk smacked his chest but was grinning widely.

"You beef head! I'm wearing nothing but cowboy boots and a hat and you're acting like this!"

Goku chuckled once he stopped dancing and pulled her in close to him. He loved making her happy. He rubbed his beard all over her sweet face and delighted in her giggles. While tickling her, he kissed every inch. He lowered her down to the ground until she was on her back staring up at him. She was biting her lip in anticipation of what he was planning on doing.

"You look like you got somethin' to say."

"I do," she blinked her eyes innocently. Ever since he grew out that beard of his, she had been curious what it would feel like down there. "I want you to taste me."

Goku growled low in his throat and looked down at her breasts. She arched her back and moaned from the pleasure of his slow hands massaging them. Once he began sucking on her nipple, Milk spread her legs out further. He was laying in between them, enjoying the sounds of satisfaction that were coming from her painted lips.

"Ay amor," she cried out. "Lower!"

His bearded face continued to add an extra sensation as his lips worked their way down to her inner thighs. His tongue slipped inside of her most sensitive area and her eyes popped open widely. Goku’s facial hair was prickling her clitoris and giving her a stimulation overload. Her nails dug into the dirt while her legs trembled against his broad shoulders.

Why in the hell had they never done this before!? From this moment on, she wanted that beard to remain.

"Shit," Milk cursed and strained her neck to see him staring at her wickedly while lapping her up. "Goku...ah...don't stop..."

He mumbled something that sounded like 'yes ma'am' against her and deepened his tongue. His eyebrows raised at how quickly she released, and she even did it with a loud scream he had never heard her make before. Goku licked his lips to savor her flavor before lifting his head up. Her chest was heaving and her eyes were begging him to make another move.

"Turn over," he commanded while getting his knees to remove his clothing. He smirked watching her rotate so that perfect ass of hers was facing him. His pants had only gotten as far as the ankles of his boots and instead of struggling to remove them fully, he inserted his throbbing cock inside of her. He made each thrust slow at first, waiting to hear her cry for more. It always ended way too quickly when they got into this position but damn, how he loved it.

How he loved her.

"Just give it to me already, Goku!" she groaned with her cheek pressed into the dirt. "Stop teasing me!"

The sheriff smirked while watching her ass shake against him. "Call me by my real name and I will."

"Please, Kakarot! I want to feel what you're going to do to me for days!"

It was the first time in years that he had been called by that name, and it sounded so fucking good coming from that pretty mouth. "Whatever you want, Chi-Chi," Kakarot grunted and spoke in between his rough thrusts. "I'm at your service."

He reached his climax shortly after his wife screamed his name once more, and for a fleeting moment, he felt like he belonged with all the other stars in the sky. Making love to her was always an out-of-body experience. Once he came back to earth, he ran a hand down her glistening back.

"Was that good enough for you, Mami?"

Once she offered him a silent and lazy thumbs up, Kakarot laughed and slapped her butt before standing up. He pulled up his pants and while adjusting his belt he noticed how exhausted Chi-Chi had become. He chuckled again and grabbed his shirt to drape over her bare bottom. She had somehow managed to keep his hat on her head the entire time.

Chi-Chi could hear Kakarot sitting down beside her and crunching on some dried fruit they had near the fire. After all these years, he still got hungry after sex. The satisfied smile she wore suddenly turned into a frown. They had been through so much together in such a short period of time, and they were only growing older. She knew when she got up off this ground, her body was going to feel like it had been hit by a train.

When he heard his wife release a heavy sigh, Kakarot looked down from the stars to see her smiling sadly at him. "What's on your mind, darling?"

Chi-Chi, with the elbows that propped her up gathering dust, blinked her eyes that were getting misty. There was another worry on her mind other than her baby boy's safety. "It's quite ridiculous and shallow to feel this way, but sometimes I fear that my youth was the peak of my life. I can't help but feel like I already experienced everything and now time is going to ravage what's left."

Kakarot just had to laugh at her silliness. He opened his arms wide for her to fall into. She crawled towards him and nestled her back against his chest while sniffing. His chuckles were letting up as he brushed her long dark hair over her shoulder to reveal her tender neck. He nipped at it gently just to get a real smile back on her face.

"I see it just the opposite. I think about how wonderful it is that some of the best days of our lives haven't happened yet," Kakarot kissed the back of her head and held her waist tighter. "How spoiled I am to spend the rest of my life with the woman of my dreams. I promise I'll always remind you how lucky I am to have you."

Feeling a yearning burning up inside of her for a second time that night, Chi-Chi turned over so their warm lips could make contact. It was the type of kiss that showed them just how strong their love was for each other. Their hands were on their face, Kakarot feeling her smoothness and Chi-Chi stroking the roughness of his beard.

The tears the wife had been holding back were rolling down her face and the husband's fingers were absorbing them. He separated their lips momentarily to whisper softly to the woman he loved so damn much.

"No llorar, no llorar," he repeated what she sang to Goten whenever he'd scrape his knee. He grinned with his nose pressed against hers when she did the same. "This is only the beginning, darling. I love you, Chi-Chi."

"I love you too, Kakarot."

They resumed their kiss, knowing that they were never going to have to go through the ups and downs, the euphoric joy and the downright heartbreaking moments of life, alone. Nobody would have ever guessed that a former lowly outlaw and a rich girl were one and the same. Kakarot had traveled over 2,000 miles and countless bumps in the road to rescue his father and Chi-Chi fought for her life more than once to keep the memory of hers alive. The sheriff and the teacher had fallen in love and had children of their own that they would risk their lives all over again if they were in trouble.

For now, they didn't need to worry about something like that happening.

As the fire snapped and crackled through the night, the lovers' own fire kept burning bright and hot. Kakarot had to pull away slightly when he could feel her fingers exploring lower and lower.

"You realize if you keep this up we're gonna make baby number three?"

"Just keep kissing me, cowboy."

"Yes ma'am."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope to see you in April for the sequel, "Train to Sapphire" <3 It won't be the last we see of our favorite vaqueros. Subscribe to me, follow me on twitter @cowboysaiyan, or just check here periodically around the week of April 12th for the sequel if you're interested<3 
> 
> I sincerely hope you enjoyed what was my passion project. I write stories that I myself would like to read and it is always nice when someone else enjoys it too <3 Until then...
> 
> Adios, darlings. <3


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